Committee for Justice - Primary Legislation
Criminal Justice (Sentencing etc) Bill
The Criminal Justice (Sentencing etc) Bill was introduced by the Minister of Justice on 3 March 2026. The Bill completed Second Stage on 16 March 2026 and was referred to the Committee for Justice for consideration.
Call for Evidence
As part of the Committee Stage, the Committee issued a call for evidence which opened on 30 March 2026 and will close on 8 May 2026.
You can have your say in the call for evidence by accessing this link.
Long title of the Bill
A Bill to make provision about the exercise of the court’s discretion when sentencing; to make provision about the availability and effect of suspended sentence orders; to create general principles relating to the determination of tariffs where a court is required to pass a life sentence on an adult; to provide for the review of certain sentences by superior courts; to make provision about the effect of an offender convicted of murder or manslaughter failing to disclose information about the victim’s remains; to create an offence of assaulting a public worker; to create sentencing aggravations concerning offences against public workers, particular groups and vulnerable victims; to amend the law relating to penalties for certain road traffic offences; and to make provision for connected purposes.
Quick Links
- View the Bill as introduced and the Explanatory and Financial Memorandum
- View the Official Reports of Oral Evidence sessions on the Bill
- View the Minutes of Proceedings relating to the Bill
- View Memoranda and Papers from the Department of Justice
- View Other Papers and Correspondence
- View Written Submissions
- View Research Papers on the Bill
Useful Information
If you would like to request an alternative format to give comments, or have any other queries, please contact the Committee Clerk at the following email address:
