Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent research his Department has commissioned into the cost implications of increasing magistrates sentencing powers to 12 months for a single offence; and if he will make a statement.

The Government has no immediate plans to increase the custodial sentencing powers of magistrates but will continue to monitor the position to ensure we provide magistrates with appropriate and proportionate powers to deal with the cases that come before them.