Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what they are doing to address sentence inflation following the average increase of three months over the past six years.

Sentencing is a matter for our independent courts, which take into account the circumstances of each case, including any aggravating and mitigating factors. We are clear that sentencing must match the severity of a crime and we will always hold in prison those criminals whose offences are so grave that no other penalty will suffice.