Consultation Hub

This site lists consultations that are run by the Ministry of Justice.

For more information on current government consultations go to GOV.UK.

Open Consultations

  • Miscellaneous amendments to sentencing guidelines 2024

    What is this consultation about? The Sentencing Council has built up a large body of sentencing guidelines and accompanying materials that are in use in courts throughout England and Wales. Over time guidelines require updating because users have pointed out issues (often using the...

    Closes 27 November 2024

  • Law Commission consultation on contempt of court

    This is a public consultation by the Law Commission for England and Wales. We are conducting a review of the law on contempt of court and considering the need for reform to improve its effectiveness, consistency, and coherence. Our objective is to produce a law of contempt...

    Closes 29 November 2024

  • Ancillary Orders Consultation

    Introduction What is this consultation about? The Sentencing Council currently provides guidance on ancillary orders in various places on our website as well as within offence specific guidelines (usually at step 6 or 7). Most of this guidance is aimed at magistrates’ courts. ...

    Closes 4 December 2024

  • Access to Justice in relation to the Aarhus Convention: call for evidence

    The UK is one of 47 Parties to the Aarhus Convention, an international treaty under the auspices of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. The Convention sets out obligations on Parties to make provisions for the public to access environmental information, to participate in...

    Closes 9 December 2024

  • Law Commission consultation on co-operative and community benefit societies

    This is a public consultation by the Law Commission for England and Wales. We have been asked to review the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 to ensure that it is fitting to the needs of societies, and that regulation is proportionate and effective. For more...

    Closes 10 December 2024

Closed Consultations

  • Non-fatal Strangulation and Suffocation Consultation

    What is the Sentencing Council? The Sentencing Council is the independent body responsible for developing sentencing guidelines for the courts to use when passing a sentence. The Council consults on its proposed guidelines before they come into force and makes changes to the guidelines as...

    Closed 14 August 2024

  • Law Commission consultation on aviation autonomy

    UPDATE: THIS CONSULTATION CLOSED JUNE 28 BUT THE SUBMISSION WEBSITE WILL REMAIN OPEN UNTIL JULY 20 TO ALLOW THOSE WITH SAVED RESPONSES TO SUBMIT. WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF THOSE WISHING TO SUBMIT A RESPONSE AFTER JUNE 28 WOULD CONTACT THE TEAM VIA: aviationautonomy@lawcommission.gov.uk ...

    Closed 20 July 2024

  • Limitation law in child sexual abuse cases

    This consultation paper seeks views on options for the reform of the law of limitation in child sexual abuse cases in England and Wales. Specifically, it considers the recommendation by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (‘the Inquiry’) on limitation law. It also examines...

    Closed 10 July 2024

  • Immigration Offences

    Why Immigration offences? This consultation seeks views on a draft of the first dedicated sentencing guidelines for immigration offences under the Immigration Act 1971 and the Identity Documents Act 2010. There are currently no definitive guidelines for these offences. ...

    Closed 12 June 2024

  • Aggravated Vehicle Taking Offences

    Why aggravated vehicle taking and other motoring related matters? In 2023 the Sentencing Council published new and revised sentencing guidelines for a range of motoring offences relating to dangerous and careless driving. This was a wide-ranging package, but there remain several...

    Closed 22 May 2024