Lords consider sentencing guidelines legislation

The Sentencing Guidelines (Pre-sentence Reports) Bill aims to prevent sentencing guidelines from referring to personal characteristics such as race, religion or belief, and cultural background in their guidance regarding when a pre-sentence report should be requested.

Debate on the draft law 

During second reading, members will discuss the main topics in the bill and flag up concerns or specific areas where they think amendments (changes) are needed.               

Members speaking  

Lord Timpson (Labour), Minister of State for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending, will open the debate and respond on behalf of the government.

Members speaking in the debate include: 

• The Lord Bishop of Gloucester (Bishops), Anglican Bishop to HM Prisons
• Lord Hope of Craighead (Crossbench), former deputy president of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom
• Lord Marks of Henley-on-Thames (Liberal Democrat), practising barrister and Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Justice
• Lord Wolfson of Tredegar (Conservative), Shadow Attorney General.

Get involved

• Watch the debate live on Parliament TV from 3.45pm. 
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript from three hours after the debate.  

Explore further information 

• Find out more about the bill in the House of Lords Library briefing (to be published 6 May). 

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