Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill

Perhaps the Minister would take us through this line of thinking. In the context of what we were told repeatedly by the noble Lord, Lord West of Spithead, at our last Sitting, the Government wish to rely on the good sense and discretion of magistrates’ courts. The argument that has just been put forward by the Minister is that we should not reduce the minimum from two years to three months because that would give rise to a greater number of ASBOs. Surely that could come about only if it was in line with the good sense and discretion of magistrates to meet a perceived need.