Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of restricting offences triable either way to summary trial except for the sentencing process.

Last November, we extended magistrates’ court sentencing powers from 6 to 12 months.

This change is expected to save Crown Court time and help deliver the swifter justice that victims deserve.

The Independent Review of the Criminal Courts is considering measures to ensure cases are dealt with more proportionately, including triable either-way offences.

I do not want to pre-empt the recommendations of the Review but I welcome my Honourable Friend’s interest in this topic.