AQO 3549/22-27

Ms Kate Nicholl
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 30/04/2026
Answered On Date: 12/05/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Justice for an update on the Criminal Justice (Sentencing etc) Bill (NIA Bill 26/22-27).

Answer:

AQO 3549-22-27

The Sentencing Bill was introduced to the Assembly on Tuesday 3 March. Second Stage took place on Monday 16 March.

The Committee Stage began on the 18 March with the Bill being referred to the Committee for Justice for scrutiny. The Committee launched a Call for Evidence on 31 March which is scheduled to conclude on 22 May.

The key purpose of the Bill is to improve the effectiveness and transparency of sentencing and so to enhance confidence in sentencing decisions and the criminal justice system more widely.

The Bill includes clauses for many of the recommendations arising from the last Sentencing Policy Review, as well as the introduction of Charlotte’s Law and a statutory aggravator model of hate crime.

Sentencing is one area of public policy that is constantly evolving. Therefore, I launched a review of further sentencing policy issues on 14 January 2026, to identify legislative proposals for the next mandate.