Contributions
923 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts BillI am happy to respond in writing a little more fully, but I can say—with the caveat that I absolutely share concerns about ethnicity proportions in the youth justice system, and…15 Dec 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts BillThere may be others, but I am coming to the next stage. The noble and learned Lord is very keen. Also part of the framework is the law of contempt of court, which we must consider…15 Dec 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts BillMy Lords, I think we might now be in double figures for the times I have been asked that question. I have set out in my remarks, fairly I hope, what lies behind it. The work from…15 Dec 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts BillI am not quite sure of the meaning of a personal undertaking from me to ensure that the Government will find an opportunity. I hope the House will appreciate that I have…15 Dec 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts BillI was keen to help the noble Lord out, because I think we all knew what he meant, but it is important in these areas to make sure that the record is really clear. I think we all…15 Dec 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts BillMy Lords, these amendments, introduced by the noble Baroness, Lady Chapman, on behalf of the noble Lord, Lord Ponsonby, include those aimed at increasing penalties for sexual…15 Dec 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts BillMy Lords, of course I understand and to a certain extent accept that point; we have previously helpfully discussed it. What we try to do with the two-year maximum is find the…13 Dec 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts BillMy Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede, referred a moment ago to constructive discussions. There have indeed been discussions between me, the noble Baroness, Lady…13 Dec 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts BillI know it is bad form, but perhaps I can answer in reverse order. I certainly was not saying that. Indeed, the point that I was trying to make was that I was not going to get into…08 Dec 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill08 Dec 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts BillMy Lords, it is my pleasure to open the debate on the Report stage of this Bill. I stand to add the proposed new clause, after Clause 2, as printed on the Marshalled List. This…08 Dec 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts BillThe reasoned explanation is that the Government believe that this is an offence which should be marked by a life sentence—a mandatory life sentence. The amount of time the person…08 Dec 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts BillMy Lords, I have explained that. There is a difference between being given a life sentence with a 10-year tariff and being given a sentence of 10 years. That is a point that we…08 Dec 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts BillMy Lords, I am grateful to all those who have contributed and I can start by reassuring the noble Baroness, Lady Jones, that I always listen. We may not always agree, but I…08 Dec 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts BillWe are now having precisely the opposite debate to the one we had in Committee. In Committee, when someone said to me—I think it was the noble Baroness, Lady Jones—“this is a…08 Dec 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts BillMy Lords, with genuine respect, the noble Lord is wrong if he thinks that that is what I have said. Let me be clear: if there are exceptional circumstances, the judge is entitled…08 Dec 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts BillMy noble friend is absolutely right to say that that is the origin of the life sentence for murder. It was a deal done, if I can put it in those respectful terms, but we have life…08 Dec 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts BillI would not use the word “risk” at all. On the one hand, I am being charged with not trusting the judges and, on the other, giving the judges too much discretion. I am entirely…08 Dec 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts BillMy Lords, we have considered this. We restricted the new sentence to 16 and 17 year-olds to ensure that only older children who are convicted of this serious offence are given a…08 Dec 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts BillMy Lords, I am not quite sure what I am being asked to accept, but I do not have any uncertainty as to what “exceptional circumstances” is. It is a phrase used in this…08 Dec 2021