Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Elizabeth Truss and Jake Berry

Tuesday 24th January 2017 Commons Chamber

[Jake Berry (Rossendale and Darwen) (Con)]

When I met Lancashire police federation representatives last Friday, they said that they believe the sentencing guidelines dealing with an assault on a police officer to be adequate, but that in some cases they are not properly enforced by the courts. What will the Secretary of State do to ensure that an attack on a police officer is always considered an aggravating factor, because an attack on the law enforcers is an attack on society itself?

[Elizabeth Truss]

I thank my hon. Friend for his comment, and he is absolutely right about attacks on police officers—and also on prison officers. We have strengthened the law in those areas and I have regular discussions with the Sentencing Council.