Sentencing Guidelines Bill undergoes further scrutiny in the Lords

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.

Detailed scrutiny

Report stage is an extra chance for members to closely scrutinise elements of the bill and make changes.   

Proposed changes

Members speaking at report state put forward amendments (PDF) (changes) to the bill on subjects including:

• avoiding inequality of sentencing outcomes
• increasing use of pre-sentence reports
• use of individual circumstances and personal characteristics of offenders
• impact of the bill on existing case law.

Lords Divisions

There was one division (vote) on a proposed change to the bill that would allow the Sentencing Council more discretion in preparing sentencing guidelines about pre-sentence reports. Members voted to disagree with this amendment, so the changes were not made.

Catch up

• Watch the Parliament TV recording.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript.

Explore further information

Find out more about the bill in the House of Lords Library briefing. 

Next steps

Third reading, a chance for members to make sure the eventual law is effective, workable and without loopholes, is scheduled for Tuesday 10 June. 

What's happened so far?

Committee stage

Line-by-line examination of the bill took place during committee stage on Monday 19 May.

Second reading

Second reading, a full debate on the key principles of the bill, took place on Wednesday 7 May.

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