Police and Justice Bill

My Lords, I echo what has been said by the noble and learned Lord, Lord Lloyd of Berwick, and the noble Baroness, Lady Anelay. We have discussed this matter fully at all stages of the Bill. An important point of principle is involved, as well as significant practical considerations. The principle is that conditional cautions are non-punitive, but that reparation and rehabilitation lies at their heart. We heartily endorse this approach as appropriate, effective and right in terms of requiring the offender to address his offence appropriately by making reparation, which in turn makes amends to the victim. It also makes possible the rehabilitation of the offender by requiring attendance at, say, an alcohol or addiction centre, which lies at the cause and the root of the offence. Thus, the matter is properly and seriously addressed without sucking someone unnecessarily into the criminal justice system. My regret is that the hands of the Attorney-General appear to be tied by the limitations on conditional cautions as currently designed. There is therefore an inability to allow indirect reparation for damage or harm caused if it is not possible, for whatever reason, for the offender to make good the damage for which he was directly responsible. Making good other damage to the community is not, apparently, allowable. I hope that this issue can be addressed in future legislation because it is an absurd limitation on the possible good that reparation of any kind can do. To extend these conditions as proposed, however, is to open the door to administrative justice, where a punitive element is now present; where punishments are imposed by the police and Crown Prosecution Service, which then become de facto investigators, prosecutors and judges. The principle of sentencing and punishment being imposed by an entirely independent tribunal—the court—is thus dispensed with. We recognise that we are talking here about the lowest level of offending, but, none the less, this all-important principle of our justice system is being bypassed. The practical considerations involve the means by which low-level offending can be managed speedily and efficiently, which both deals with the offence and avoids a lengthy process of court proceedings given that the offender has pleaded guilty to a minor offence. This we understand. However, many people may accept a conditional caution, whatever the conditions, because the idea of going to court is so alarming. In doing so, the punitive element is introduced. So we stand on the cusp of principle and practicality. I am most grateful to the noble and learned Lord the Attorney-General for seeing us yesterday, for the trouble he has taken to examine these issues, for the efforts he has made to meet our arguments and for the accommodations he is now proposing. I acknowledge that in terms of the punitive options being considered, the noble and learned Lord has agreed to the limit on the possible fine, which has been reduced to £250, and that any changes to time or limit on punitive conditions will be subject to affirmative resolution procedure on maximum hours, and therefore subject to a vote in both Houses of Parliament before any change is made. I understood him to say at an earlier meeting that in time to come—possibly in a year—he would report back on the outcomes of these changes and on how they are working in the initial pilot areas. It is important to have a chance to revisit these arrangements. However, given the concessions, and having clearly stated my concerns on the small but important way in which a principle of justice is being undermined, I accept the Government’s new amendments.