Sentencing Guidelines Council

The Sentencing Guidelines Council was a non-departmental public body of the United Kingdom government, created by s.167 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003. It gave authoritative guidance on sentencing to the courts of England and Wales. It was replaced in April 2010 by the Sentencing Council.

Constitution

The Council was chaired by the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales and comprised seven judicial members, appointed by the Lord Chancellor after consultation with the Lord Chief Justice and the Home Secretary, and four non-judicial members, appointed by the Home Secretary after consultation with the Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief Justice.

The seven judicial members had to include a circuit judge, a district judge (magistrates courts) and a lay magistrate. The non-judicial members had to be experienced in policing, criminal prosecution, criminal defence or victim welfare.

External links

• Official website

Ministry of Justice of the United Kingdom
Headquarters: 102 Petty France, Westminster
Ministers	Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor Minister of State 2 Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State
Executive agencies	Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority HM Courts and Tribunals Service Legal Aid Agency National Offender Management Service (HM Prison Service National Probation Service) The National Archives Office of the Public Guardian
Non-departmental public bodies	Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service Civil Justice Council Criminal Cases Review Commission Independent Monitoring Board Information Commissioner's Office Judicial Appointments Commission Law Commission Legal Services Board Parole Board for England and Wales Sentencing Council Youth Justice Board
Significant former agencies	Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council HM Courts Service Legal Services Commission Tribunals Service Sentencing Guidelines Council