Summary
The justice secretary will gain the ability to block new sentencing guidelines proposed by an independent body. This change is part of the Sentencing Bill introduced in the House of Commons, aimed at increasing oversight over sentencing guidelines. The new powers require both the justice secretary and the head of the judiciary to approve any future guidelines before they are issued.
Key Facts
- The justice secretary can veto new sentencing guidelines from an independent public body.
- The change is part of the new Sentencing Bill introduced in the House of Commons.
- Both the justice secretary and the lady chief justice must now approve guidelines before they are issued.
- The reforms aim to address criticisms of the Sentencing Council's previous plans.
- The changes are meant to increase democratic and judicial oversight of sentencing guidelines.
- The justice secretary stated that individual sentencing decisions will remain with judges.
- The new powers were introduced after previous guidelines for considering offender backgrounds were blocked.
- Critics had called the previous guidelines biased, claiming they resulted in unequal treatment based on demographics.
