Oral Answers to Questions

Helen Grant Excerpts

Tuesday 17th May 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Blunt]

I would have thought that a moment’s reflection would make that clear. Let us suppose that someone who is accused of rape co-operates with the authorities at the first opportunity, rather than puts their victim through the entire process of having to be prepared to give evidence and then having to give evidence. That is one example where there is a definitive benefit to the victim from encouraging the earliest possible guilty plea.

[Mrs Helen Grant (Maidstone and The Weald) (Con)]

Does my hon. Friend agree that short-term prison sentences for women are quite ineffective and that robust community options would be much better?

[Mr Blunt]

As my right hon. and learned Friend the Justice Secretary made clear last year, there are of course problems with short prison sentences for both male and female offenders. We will not take away from the judiciary and magistracy the ability to use short sentences when required, but we need to ensure that community sentences that are properly robust and properly punitive can carry public confidence as an appropriate option, particularly for women offenders who frequently have wider responsibilities in the community that would be lost if they were incarcerated.