The Government keeps maximum penalties under review. This includes sentencing trends, and whether there is any evidence that the courts may be finding their sentencing powers inadequate. Any change in sentencing in one part of the law has to be made consistent across the entire criminal justice system.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Sentencing Council recently updated its guidelines for magistrates. In their revised guideline, the Sentencing Council aims to ensure that the most serious cases of animal cruelty receive longer sentences of up to the maximum of 6 months\u2019 imprisonment.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3934", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for George Eustice"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Camborne and Redruth"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "George Eustice"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-07-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-07-04T16:39:34.49Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-06-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Animal Welfare: Sentencing"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he last considered a review of sentencing for animal cruelty offences.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1447", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Rosindell"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Romford"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Andrew Rosindell"} ], "uin" : "1363"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/732896", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/732896/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
In April the Government confirmed how much each local authority would receive under the £300 million discretionary relief fund. It is now for local authorities to design and implement their own local schemes and to ensure that support for their local business goes where it is needed.<\/p>
The Government has been clear that it expects local authorities to make rapid progress in finalising their schemes, identifying eligible businesses and adjusting bills to provide this support, as soon as possible.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4024", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Marcus Jones"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Nuneaton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Marcus Jones"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-07-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-07-03T16:07:32.49Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-06-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Non-domestic Rates"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much has been paid to businesses from the £300 million business rates relief fund.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1591", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tim Farron"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Westmorland and Lonsdale"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tim Farron"} ], "uin" : "1482"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/732905", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/732905/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Lawful Development Certificate appeal was being dealt with through written representations, as requested by the appellant, and it proceeded to a site visit on 16 March 2017. Following the site visit the Inspector decided to change the procedure to an inquiry to enable evidence to be tested under oath and to link the appeal to the subsequently received enforcement appeals. We are working to resolve a number of complex issues on the enforcement appeals so that they can be started and linked as soon as possible.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4014", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Reading West"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Alok Sharma"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-07-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "1445"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-07-06T09:22:40.363Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-06-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Planning Permission: Christchurch"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when the Planning Inspectorate plans to issue a start date for the appeals lodged by residents of Tall Trees Park, Matchams Lane, Christchurch in January 2017 against the Enforcement Notice of Christchurch Borough Council of 30 November 2016; and what the reasons are for the time taken to issue that start date.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/242", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Christopher Chope"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Christchurch"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Christopher Chope"} ], "uin" : "1449"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/732947", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/732947/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The information requested is currently not available.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3969", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Damian Hinds"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Hampshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Damian Hinds"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-07-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-07-04T11:42:34.99Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-06-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Universal Credit: Zero Hours Contracts"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of people engaged on zero-hours contracts who are in receipt of universal credit.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4418", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Justin Madders"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ellesmere Port and Neston"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Justin Madders"} ], "uin" : "1302"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/733050", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/733050/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Home Office does not hold the requested information centrally.<\/p>
The Home Office collects data on the number of stalking offences recorded by the police forces in England and Wales, although these data cannot be broken down by gender of victim. Data on stalking offences have been published since 2014/15. Prior to this date, there were included in the harassment offence classification. These are published by the Office for National Statistics and can be found in Table A4 of the latest Crime in England and Wales publication:<\/p>