The UK government introduced new legislation which will require the Justice Secretary and the Lord or Lady Chief Justice to approve Sentencing Council proposed guidelines for courts.

The bill, currently in its second reading, compels the Lord or Lady Chief Justice and Lord Chancellor to accept Sentencing Council proposals for courts in England and Wales. The new legislation will amend s.120 of The Coroners and Justice Act 2009 which previously established a requirement for the Sentencing Council to “seek the consent of the Lord Chief Justice and the Lord Chancellor to issue them as definitive guidelines.”

The bill’s introduction followed a disagreement between the government and the council concerning its guidance on using pre-sentencing reports (PSR). Section 30 of the Sentencin

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