Written evidence to be reported to the House

Part of Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 4:15 pm on 16 October 2007.

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Photo of David Howarth David Howarth Shadow Solicitor General, Ministry of Justice 4:15, 16 October 2007

May I go back briefly to clause 10 and the abolition of suspended sentences for summary offences? Can I ask you to take us through how a magistrates court might  carry out a sentencing exercise in this type of case? The problem is this: on the one side the Government say that if we abolish the suspended sentence, that would encourage more community sentences; the argument on the other side is that, on the contrary, if you abolish the suspended sentence, you will get more immediate imprisonment sentences. So could you take us through how a magistrate might look at a sentencing problem of this sort?