Shoplifting: Sentencing

Miss McIntosh
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to respond to the results of the consultation on the sentencing guidelines for shoplifting; what recent representations he has received on the sentencing guidelines for shoplifting; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Straw
The Government responded in June this year to the independent Sentencing Guidelines Council’s consultation guideline on sentencing for the offences of theft and burglary (non-dwelling). I am advised that MOJ has received no representations on the consultation sentencing guideline for the offence of theft from a shop.