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Ministry of Justice faces early tests

May 10, 2007 12:00 AM

Commenting on today's creation of the new Ministry of Justice, Liberal Democrat Shadow Justice Secretary, Simon Hughes MP said:

"Liberal Democrats welcome the creation of the Ministry of Justice, something we have long advocated. Ministers will need to work hard to make sure the new ministry now gains the confidence of the public and the professionals.

"An early test will be whether the new ministry wins the resources to implement a coherent prison and probation policy.

"On sentencing, Labour at last appears to recognise that many short prison sentences are not effective and community sentences are underused. But the public also want a criminal justice system where sentences mean what they say.

"The two big failures of criminal justice policy in the past have been a prison population higher than any other in western Europe and pious declarations of judicial independence at one moment with ministers criticising judges the next.

"Reducing prison numbers and refraining from criticism of judges would be a welcome start."

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