Clause 70
Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill
5:45 pm
Angela Eagle (Parliamentary Secretary, HM Treasury; Wallasey, Labour)
The point here relates to the hierarchy of offences. The clause will increase the penalty for offences on indictment, under section 2 of the Obscene Publications Act 1959, from three years to five years. It is related to clauses 64 and 67, which make illegal the possession of a limited range of extreme pornographic material illegal. The maximum custodial sentence in that case is three years’ imprisonment. The Government are determined to act against publishers and distributors of such material where we can. That is a more serious offence than possession, so there needs to be a consistency in sentencing. I hope that that explanation satisfies my hon. Friend.