asked Her Majesty's Government:

When they most recently issued guidance to the judiciary in Northern Ireland concerning sentencing; what the guidance was; and whether they propose to issue further guidance in the near future. [HL3270]

The statutory sentencing framework, that is the range of sentences available to a judge in connection with particular offences, is a matter for the Government and, ultimately, Parliament.

The Northern Ireland Court of Appeal delivers guideline judgments on sentencing in Northern Ireland. These sentencing guideline cases encourage consistency in sentencing throughout the courts of Northern Ireland and support sentencers in their decision-making. In addition, the Judicial Studies Board of Northern Ireland publishes significant decided cases on its website (www.jsbni.com) and provides training to the judiciary on a range of issues, including sentencing.