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Violent Crime Reduction Bill

I am perfectly certain that Her Majesty’s judges are quite capable of giving a message to those who wish to carry guns. I do not think that the Government are right to interfere with the independence of the judges, and in particular their sentencing powers, in the way that they do. The guidelines on firearms offences could have been issued by the Sentencing Guidelines Council—and almost certainly have been issued by it—which the judges would faithfully follow. I do not think it is the imposition of minimum sentences that makes the difference; it is the fact that Her Majesty’s judges are alive to the problem within our society of a rise in gun crime and, as has happened in so many fields, would have dealt with it without the necessity for this interference with their independence. For the moment I shall seek leave to withdraw the amendment but I will come back to the principle on many occasions. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.