Attorney General The Attorney General was asked— Kerry McCarthy
(Bristol East) (Lab) 1. What recent assessment she has made of the
adequacy of the Crown Prosecution Service’s written responses to
complaints. (906610) The Solicitor General (Michael Tomlinson)
Although progress has been made, the CPS acknowledges that there is
more to do to ensure that every complaint gets a high-quality
response in a timely manner. I will be discussing this very
issue...Request free trial
Attorney General
The Attorney General was asked—
(Bristol East) (Lab)
1. What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the
Crown Prosecution Service’s written responses to complaints.
(906610)
The Solicitor General ()
Although progress has been made, the CPS acknowledges that there
is more to do to ensure that every complaint gets a high-quality
response in a timely manner. I will be discussing this very issue
with the Director of Public Prosecutions at our next meeting.
I am sure the Solicitor General will be aware that the CPS
Inspectorate recently conducted an investigation into the
response to complaints from victims of crime. It found that
almost half were below standard and only a third were “adequate”.
Do victims of crime not deserve better?
The Solicitor General
I am grateful to the hon. Lady for her serious and important
question. It is of the utmost importance that victims are well
supported by all parts of the justice system. Improvements need
to be made. It might be worth pointing out that in the
Inspectorate’s report, the complainants were looked at, from
victims, defendants, witnesses, the police and others. There is
clearly some way to go, but the CPS has accepted each and every
one of the recommendations.
Russia: International Accountability
(Lichfield) (Con)
2. What recent steps she has taken to establish international
accountability for Russia’s actions against Ukraine; and if she
will make a statement. (906611)
(Gedling) (Con)
8. What recent steps she has taken to establish international
accountability for Russia’s actions against Ukraine. (906619)
The Attorney General ()
We are supporting my counterpart in Ukraine, Andriy Kostin, and
Ukraine’s judiciary with an ongoing package of practical
assistance. They have opened over 100,000 files into alleged
Russian war crimes. There is a growing body of evidence that
serious crimes have been committed. Together, we will ensure that
allegations of war crimes are investigated robustly and
independently.
While the House is naturally focused on what has happened in the
middle east and the Hamas attack against Israel, the war in
Ukraine continues. What assessment has my right hon. Friend made
of the abduction of young children from Ukraine to Russia?
The Attorney General
Forced deportation of children is particularly abhorrent. In
July, the Foreign Secretary announced 40 new sanctions against
Russian officials who have been involved in the forced
deportation of Ukrainian children and the spreading of
hate-filled propaganda. We continue to work closely with the
Ukrainians. I am seeing Andriy Kostin in person again next week,
and we remain involved at all levels, from the International
Criminal Court to local prosecutions.
In the context of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, what steps
is the Attorney General taking at international judicial level to
ensure the rule of law is upheld?
The Attorney General
At the end of last month, I was honoured to appear personally
before the International Court of Justice in The Hague. I made
the UK’s submissions in the case against Russia concerning the
genocide convention. It was an important moment for the
international rule of law. I fear this will be a long process,
but we will pay our full part.
(Strangford) (DUP)
I thank the Attorney General for her response and understanding
of our requests. Unfortunately, one thing that is not mentioned
much about Ukraine is that when east Donbas was invaded and
Crimea was taken over, many Baptist pastors went missing. They
were abducted, kidnapped and killed, and nobody has been held
accountable. Will the Attorney General intervene in that
situation and help to give accountability to those families who
have lost loved ones?
The Attorney General
The hon. Gentleman always speaks so passionately, particularly on
behalf of those involved in helping others with their religious
beliefs, making sure that they are not persecuted around the
world. I have heard what he has said.
Mr Speaker
I call the SNP spokesperson.
(North Ayrshire and Arran)
(SNP)
The Attorney General has rightly said that international
accountability for Russia’s actions in Ukraine is very important.
She will also be aware that some deep concerns have been
expressed that Russia may be exploiting the very volatile and
fragile situation in Israel and Palestine, with its reportedly
close links with Hamas and accusations of facilitating
international terrorism. Does she share those concerns, and what
efforts does she think the international community can take to
counter that?
The Attorney General
The UK has a strong track record of supporting international law,
and we ask that our friends and partners do the same. It is clear
to us that all parties should abide by international law. It was
very much brought home to me in that room in The Hague that
Russia and Ukraine have not been in many rooms together during
the past 18 months, but a courtroom brought them to the same
place, and that shows the power of international law.
Crown Prosecution Service: Access to Justice
(Manchester, Withington)
(Lab)
3. What recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of
the Crown Prosecution Service in ensuring access to justice for
victims of crime. (906612)
(Slough) (Lab)
6. What recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of
the Crown Prosecution Service in ensuring access to justice for
victims of crime. (906616)
The Attorney General ()
The Government are committed to ensuring that victims are treated
fairly and compassionately. We know that joined-up working across
the criminal justice system works, and we know that supporting
victims makes a real difference. That is why we are spending four
times as much on victim support as was the case in 2010.
There are victims of crime in our country who have had to wait
years for their cases to come to court, who have bravely given
testimony to ensure that the criminals who robbed or attacked
them are convicted, and who, this week, will have to watch those
criminals be bailed rather than jailed, because the prisons are
too full to pass sentence against them. What message would the
Attorney General like to send to those victims?
The Attorney General
The message that I want to send to victims today is that they are
very important to this Government. We want them to come forward
and we want to investigate and prosecute the crimes of which they
are the victims as well and as expeditiously as we can. I
listened to what the Lord Chancellor had to say on Monday and I
was impressed that he is putting those prison places in the right
part of the system, focusing on those serving time for longer,
more violent and more worrying offences, with those at the other
end of the prison system—those on that revolving wheel of going
in and out of prison—being treated in a different way. We want
and he wants—it was clear to me that he feels this very
strongly—to reduce crime, and he is making sure that the whole of
the criminal justice system and the prison system works to
achieve that aim.
Mr Dhesi
Shockingly, according to the latest figures, more than 6,400
Crown court cases have been waiting more than two years to be
heard. That is up more than two thirds on last year alone. What
does the Attorney General have to say to the victims, who, to
their despair, have found that their lives have been put on hold
while they are waiting for justice? And what does she say to
those who can no longer cope with any more delay even if that
means having to let their case collapse?
The Attorney General
I am happy to say that the hon. Gentleman and I share a local
Crown prosecution area in Thames and Chiltern where the local
victim attrition rate is well below the national average. It is
running at about 13%. Any attrition is too high, and we want to
make sure that we support victims to enable them to continue to
bring their cases. That is why we have put in place about 800
independent sexual violence advisers to help those victims feel
supported and able to go to trial.
(South West Bedfordshire)
(Con)
A couple of weeks ago, we had a series of very distressing
break-ins to small owner-manager businesses in Leighton Buzzard
High Street. I know that the owners and Bedfordshire police were
disappointed in the response of the CPS. Would it be possible to
get the CPS together with those business owners to try to improve
things in the future?
The Attorney General
I am sorry to hear about those distressing cases. Of course,
either the Solicitor General or I would be delighted to meet our
hon. Friend to discuss this further.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Attorney General.
(Islington South and
Finsbury) (Lab)
Last month, I had the pleasure of hosting the brilliant Women’s
Budget Group in Parliament for the launch of its report on gender
gaps in access to civil justice. Across the board, from
employment and benefits to domestic violence and housing, the
report found too many women reaching crisis point before they got
the help that they needed, as well as increasing numbers getting
no help at all and having to represent themselves in court. Will
the Attorney General raise those findings with the Justice
Secretary and look at how the Government can address the
disproportionate impact on women of our country’s legal aid
deserts?
The Attorney General
The right hon. Lady makes an important point. I read with
interest some of the work that she had been doing with others for
whom I have enormous respect in this important area. I know that
she is very capable of raising those matters herself with the
Justice Secretary, but I reassure her that the access of
everybody to justice is very much at the top of my agenda and
his.
Violence against Women and Girls: Prosecution Rates
(Stockton North) (Lab)
4. What steps she is taking to increase prosecution rates for
cases relating to violence against women and girls. (906613)
(Newport West) (Lab)
9. What steps she is taking to increase prosecution rates for
cases relating to violence against women and girls. (906620)
The Attorney General
We are committed to tackling violence against women and girls,
and have introduced new specific offences to target those crimes.
We are steadily increasing the number of rape prosecutions. We
are working on new ways to recognise the relationship between
rape, domestic abuse and stalking. Close working across the
system is the key to effective prosecution.
At Labour’s recent conference in Liverpool, my right hon. Friend
the shadow Attorney General highlighted the shocking statistic
that it is 200 times more likely for a woman to be a victim of
stalking in this country than it is for her stalker to go to
jail. Does the Attorney General agree that it is time that we
started treating stalking with the seriousness that it deserves,
including giving victims of online stalking a right to know the
identity of their stalker?
The Attorney General
I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising that important issue, and
I reassure him that the Government are absolutely committed to
helping stalking victims to bring their cases to prosecution. The
Lord Chancellor has made that something of a mission during his
time in the House; I remember my many years with him on the
Justice Committee when he talked of little else. We are working
in the CPS on new ways of ensuring that the complicated
relationship between rape, domestic abuse and stalking is
properly considered across the system.
Prosecution rates for violence against women and girls remain
low, and that simply is not good enough. Next month, we will mark
White Ribbon Day, when men show their commitment to ending
violence against women and girls. What discussions has the
Attorney General had with colleagues across Government about
White Ribbon Day, and what more can be done to increase
prosecution rates and eradicate violence against women and girls
once and for all?
The Attorney General
A great deal of work is going on across Government to tackle
violence against women and girls, and I am pleased to tell the
hon. Lady that a great deal of really good work is happening in
her area in Wales. When I visited the Cardiff office earlier this
summer we had some very productive discussions about the
implementation of the new CPS charging model. I encourage her to
meet Jenny Hopkins, who is the chief Crown prosecutor for her
specific area, to hear more about how that hard work has brought
some really positive results.
Mr Speaker
I call the Chair of the Justice Committee.
(Bromley and Chislehurst)
(Con)
Just before the recess, the then Director of Public Prosecutions
gave evidence to the Justice Committee and highlighted the
specific areas of work being done to improve the victim
experience in relation to rape and serious sexual offences. While
there is more to do, would the Attorney General accept that there
has been real progress from the position even, say, 10 years ago?
What is the latest position in relation to the key targets that
were set from the end-to-end rape review?
The Attorney General
I thank my hon. Friend for his question, and for reminding me
that I should pay tribute to the outgoing DPP, Max Hill, for his
five years of excellent work on our behalf prosecuting crime. I
am sure that all of us across the House would like to wish him
well in the next stage of his career.
On my hon. Friend’s specific question, the rape review set
challenging targets. We have worked very hard across
Government—the Home Office, AGs and the Ministry of Justice—on
three of those targets in particular, and we are exceeding them
considerably. We are in a much better place. Many more cases of
rape are being prosecuted and rapists are being convicted. We
need to continue to build on that progress—we will not rest on
our laurels—but there has been real improvement. If anybody is a
victim of rape, I encourage them to come forward. We will support
them, and we will prosecute.
Solicitors: Civil Society
(Glasgow South West)
(SNP)
5. What recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of
State for Justice on the contribution of solicitors to civil
society. (906614)
The Solicitor General ()
As my right hon. Friend the Lord Chancellor agrees, solicitors
and, indeed, all legal professionals play a vital role in
upholding the rule of law. As Solicitor General, I take this
opportunity to thank Government Legal Service lawyers for their
exceptional work every day, often under pressure, on some of the
most high-profile cases in the country.
That is all very well, but the Justice Minister denounces lawyers
for parading their politics, while the Home Secretary believes
that there is a racket of “lefty lawyers” undermining the law.
Does the Attorney General not agree that, instead of deflecting
blame from the serial ineptitude of a broken Home Office
decimated by her colleagues, she should stand up for the
profession as impartial arbiters of the rule of law?
The Solicitor General
The Attorney General and I often meet legal leaders across the
profession both to celebrate their achievements and to hear their
concerns. It is right to say that lawyers acting in the best
interests of their clients should never be criticised for so
doing. But it is also right to say, as the Lord Chancellor has
also said, that it is the strong tradition of lawyers in this
country that they simply act for their client without fear or
favour and do not necessarily associate themselves with the
cause. I agree 100% with the Lord Chancellor.
(Hastings and Rye)
(Con)
What assessment has the Solicitor General made of the strength of
the legal profession in rural areas?
The Solicitor General
Mr Speaker, you have heard about the “law tour” that the Attorney
General and I recently entered into. We met some lawyers in
Welshpool and heard from high street solicitors about the
importance of their practice, not only in Wales but on the Welsh
borders. My hon. Friend should look out for more details about
the law tour.
Serious Fraud Office Director
(Harrogate and Knaresborough)
(Con)
7. What assessment she has made of the implications for her
policies of the appointment of the new director of the Serious
Fraud Office. (906617)
The Solicitor General ()
The Attorney General and I met the new director, Nick Ephgrave,
yesterday and discussed the SFO’s priorities, including
continuing to deliver its day-to-day mission and driving forward
lasting improvements to its operations.
I have been contacted by constituents who have been victims of
financial scams carried out by large organised criminal gangs,
which often target the more vulnerable in our communities. What
steps is the Solicitor General taking to end the scourge of these
frauds and scams, and will it be a priority for the new director
of the SFO?
The Solicitor General
I can tell my hon. Friend that the SFO announced a criminal
investigation just last week into a suspected fraud at Safe Hands
Plans, a funeral plan provider with 46,000 plan holders before
its collapse last year. My hon. Friend has raised this very point
during an earlier debate, and I am grateful to him for that. I am
sure that he will agree that the announcement of the SFO’s
investigation is a significant and welcome step.
(Huddersfield)
(Lab/Co-op)
Will the new head of the SFO take the job very seriously and look
again at some of the big fraudsters and at the penalties? Will
the Solicitor General ask the new director why Bernie Ecclestone
did not go to prison for massive fraud against the tax
system?
The Solicitor General
The hon. Gentleman gives me the opportunity to pay tribute to the
new director. He is the right candidate for the job. He brings a
wealth of experience. He will listen to what the hon. Gentleman
says and to what we all say in this Chamber. He has expertise in
leading large, complex and multidisciplinary law enforcement
organisations, and we look forward to supporting him in his
work.
His Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service inspectorate inspects not
only the CPS, but the SFO, so it was remiss of me earlier not to
pay tribute to the inspectorate and to the chief inspector for
his work.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Hammersmith) (Lab)
I join the Solicitor General in welcoming Nick Ephgrave as he
takes on one of the most difficult jobs in law enforcement. His
arrival in post was announced by the SFO abandoning the three
long-running and expensive prosecutions of Rio Tinto, Eurasian
Natural Resources, and the Alpha and Green Park group. That
follows a chain of failed cases, from G4S and Serco to Unaoil.
With permanent staff vacancies of around 25%, and a case load
that has fallen by half in recent years, why should the new
director think that this lame duck Government will make the SFO a
hawk in the world of financial crime?
The Solicitor General
I will ignore the snide comment at the end but I will address the
substance of the hon. Gentleman’s question, which he is right to
ask. It is also right to say that it is always disappointing when
cases are closed, but criminal investigations that no longer meet
the public interest test, as he well knows, simply cannot
continue. That is the code that Crown prosecutors take, and he
will understand why that is the case. It is right to trumpet the
SFO’s achievements; it is also right to challenge it. I know that
staff recruitment and retention will be one of the priorities for
the new director.
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