Let the punishment fit the crime

I was left confused by the way I first heard this awful story reported on a Heart FM news summary in a cab:

“Five schoolboys have been sentenced to two years’ detention for the manslaughter of a 67-year-old man in London.”

Hornets

16 October

Baroness Masham of Ilton: My Lords, [is the Minister] aware that the son-in-law of a very great friend of mine was killed this July in Sussex due to a single sting in his foot when he got out of his bath and stood on a hornet? The figures that I have had from the Library go only to 2005, when there was a huge rise in the number of people with stings going into hospital. Is the Minister aware that there is an increase in hornets in the south of England, as people have told me?

The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): My Lords, I sympathise greatly because of the individual tragedy that the noble Baroness has brought to the attention of the House. I learnt more about hornets listening to the “Today” programme today than I did from Defra. Basically, they are not part of the food production chain. In my first sentence I said that no information on hornets is kept by the Government, and I am in some difficulty. I understand from the expert on the “Today” programme that these are English hornets and not French hornets, so we must not be cruel to the French. [...]

Lord Redesdale: My Lords, can the Minister say which department or agency does record the rise in numbers in species such as hornets? As we have seen with bluetongue, which has been brought in by the midge population, the spread of different insect populations can cause massive economic hardship.

Lord Rooker: My Lords, I cannot fudge this; I am definitely the bluetongue and the foot-and-mouth Minister. There is no Minister for hornets. The Government simply do not have any information. I have asked the National Bee Unit—we have a bee unit, as bees are part of the food production chain—but there is no hornet unit and there is no Minister for the hornet; I have no idea. The noble Baroness has, of course, asked about a human health issue. Defra is responsible for the health of the planet and the health of animals, and others deal with human health.

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: My Lords, can the Minister inform the House, from his breadth of experience, how noble Lords might recognise a hornets’ nest and what actions they should take when they come across one?

Lord Rooker: Visit the shadow Cabinet, my Lords.

[...]

Baroness Masham of Ilton: My Lords, does the Minister think that his department and the Department of Health should come together and do more research on insects as a whole?

Lord Rooker: My Lords, I assure the noble Baroness and the House that I shall be drawing this matter to the attention of the two Permanent Secretaries who could not come to an agreement about who would answer this Question in the first place.

(no subject)

17 October

Baroness Royall: The noble Baroness, Lady Howarth, asked what we had done following the Mental Health Act 2007 to ensure that patients under 18 were not placed on adult psychiatric wards unless that environment was suitable for their age... Most of the Act’s provisions will be implemented from October 2008, but those on age-appropriate environments, and indeed those on advocacy, are likely to follow a little later so that services can develop adequate capacity. We have discussed this timescale with key stakeholders who, although anxious to avoid unnecessary delay, understand and accept that position, I am assured. However, I note the views expressed by the noble Baroness and also the face she has just shown me.