Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will ask the Sentencing Council to increase custodial sentences for people convicted of procuring child abuse images.

The maximum sentences available for criminal offences are set by Parliament and, for possession of indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of a child, the maximum sentence is 5 years’ imprisonment. For distributing, making or taking indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of a child, the maximum sentence is 10 years’ imprisonment.

The independent judiciary will determine the appropriate sentence in individual cases within the maximums set by Parliament, and in line with any relevant sentencing guidelines issued by the Sentencing Council for England and Wales.

Sentencing guidelines provide courts with guidance on factors that should be considered, which may affect the sentence given. The relevant guideline for possessing, distributing, and producing indecent child images can be found here: Possession of indecent photograph of child/ Indecent photographs of children – Sentencing