Sentencing for violence against women and girls
There will be a debate on sentencing for violence against women and girls in Westminster Hall on 1 February 2023 at 14:30. This debate will be led by Cherilyn Mackrory MP.

The Forensic Science Regulator Bill is a Private Members’ Bill in the 2019-21 session. Remaining stages of the Bill are expected to take place in the Commons on 12 March 2021.
Forensic Science Regulator Bill 2019-21 (1 MB , PDF)
The Forensic Science Regulator Bill 2019-21 (the Bill) is a Private Members’ Bill (PMB) sponsored by Darren Jones MP (Labour, Bristol North West). Remaining stages of the Bill are expected to take place in the Commons on 12 March 2021.
The Bill was originally titled the Forensic Science Regulator and Biometrics Strategy Bill but was amended at Report stage in the Commons.
The Bill has been drafted with Government support. It is almost identical to a PMB sponsored in the last parliament by the Chris Green MP (Conservative, Bolton West): the Forensic Science Regulator Bill 2017-19. Mr Green’s Bill also had Government support but fell without receiving second reading when Parliament was dissolved for the 2019 General Election.
The Bill extends to England and Wales only. It would make statutory provision for the Forensic Science Regulator. At present the Regulator (currently the Interim Forensic Science Regulator, Rupert Shute) advises on quality standards in forensic science but does not have any statutory role. The Bill would rectify this by:
The Bill seeks to address long standing concerns about regulation of forensic science.
At present the Forensic Science Regulator is responsible for:
The Regulator publishes Codes of Conduct and Practice for Forensic Science it expects all providers to comply with. At present she has no formal powers to ensure compliance.
Multiple stakeholders (including both the Commons and Lords Science and Technology Committees and the Regulator herself) have noted that a lack of effective regulation has created dysfunction in the forensic science market. There are three main areas of concern:
The Bill would put a future forensic ‘code of practice’ on a statutory footing. It would give the Regulator powers to investigate facilities who it believed were providing services that put police investigations or criminal proceedings at risk. This would allow the Regulator to take stronger action against unaccredited and non-compliant laboratories (both in the public and private sector). At present it has no powers to compel those carrying out forensics to meet the standards set in the current Codes.
The Bill and accompanying explanatory notes were published on 21 September 2020. Second reading of the Bill took place on 25 September 2020. Eleven Government amendments to the Bill were agreed at a single Committee session on 11 November 2020.
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Forensic Science Regulator Bill 2019-21 (1 MB , PDF)
There will be a debate on sentencing for violence against women and girls in Westminster Hall on 1 February 2023 at 14:30. This debate will be led by Cherilyn Mackrory MP.
A Bill to prevent abuse of the UK economy and support enterprise by reforming Companies House and limited partnerships, and strengthen the broader response to economic crime.
The Government abolished the much criticised sentence of imprisonment for public protection (IPP) in 2012. However, the change was not made retrospective. On 30 September 2022 there were 2,890 IPP prisoners in custody. Pressure for change has continued.