Sentencing Guidelines and pre-sentence reports

Early day motion 1116, tabled 22 April 2025 by Josh Babarinde (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 25 members.

That this House recognises that everyone should be treated equally under the law; further recognises the vital role pre-sentence reports (PSRs) play in providing courts with the information they need to make informed sentencing decisions that keep our communities safe while aiming to rehabilitate offenders; believes that the equal application of justice is a fundamental principle of a fair society; expresses concern that the use of PSRs has declined sharply by 44% between 2013 and 2023; notes with concern that the Probation Service has been left overstretched and under-resourced, making it difficult to consistently deliver high-quality PSRs; acknowledges the importance of addressing disproportionality that sees ethnic minority communities over-represented in the criminal justice system, including by fully implementing the recommendations of the Lammy and Angiolini Reviews; and calls on the Government to restore public confidence and ensure everyone is treated equally under the law by taking steps to make PSRs consistently available and bringing forward a Royal Commission on Sentencing to restore public confidence and guide evidence-based reforms.

Signatures by party: Liberal Democrat 24, Independent 1.