Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the upper age limit for adult imprisonment in each EU member state.

The Government is aware that some EU member states have policies designed to divert, rather than prohibit, elderly offenders from receiving immediate custodial sentences. The Government remains of the view that sentencing is a matter for the courts, which – in deciding whether an offence merits a custodial term – take into account the particular circumstances of the case and of the offender; including factors such as age and health.