To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will publish the sentencing guidelines for offences related to (a) child abuse, (b) child neglect and (c) sexual abuse of children. (281345)

Sentencing guidelines are issued to the courts by the independent Sentencing Guidelines Council, not by the Government. In April 2007, the Sentencing Guidelines Council published a definitive guideline on the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and in February 2008, they published a definitive guideline on the Overarching Principles: Assaults on Children and Cruelty to a Child.

These and all other published guidelines can be viewed at:

www.sentencing-guidelines.gov.uk