To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the variation in severity of sentences for crimes between regions of England and Wales at (a) magistrates courts and (b) Crown courts in each year since 1997; what plans he has to reduce such variation; and if he will make a statement. (83608)

[holding answer 10 July 2006]: Information on sentencing by criminal justice area is contained in chapter five of “Sentencing Statistics 2004” (ISSN 1358-510X). In the Criminal Justice Act 2003, the Government established the Sentencing Guidelines Council to frame sentencing guidelines for the courts. In doing so, it is required among other things to have regard to the need to promote consistency in sentencing. It began work in 2004 and has issued four final guidelines to date.