Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, when the Government last received a legal challenge from an international entity; and what the cost to the public purse was of defending that challenge.
Answered by Edward Timpson
There is a broad range of entities which might be described as “international”, and there is likely to be a range of ongoing litigation against the government (acting for the United Kingdom) brought by different entities at any given time, and at various stages of completion. Proceedings have recently been brought by the European Commission, and other States may take legal action against the UK under specific treaties.
Such cases are dealt with by government lawyers in the relevant departments and the Government Legal Department, with counsel or external law firms instructed through the Attorney General Panel system at fixed rates, or through off-panel nominations also at pre-agreed rates.
In relation to the proceedings recently brought against the UK by the European Commission, the matter is at an early stage and it is not possible to determine the costs incurred so far or what the costs of defending the challenge will ultimately be.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what legal advice has she received on the Government’s proposals to adjust or remove the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
It is a longstanding convention, accepted by governments of all parties, not to disclose whether the Attorney General has given legal advice or the contents of any advice. This extends to not commenting on the content of internal discussions in relation to the Attorney General’s function as a Law Officer and chief legal adviser to the Government. This convention protects the Law Officers’ ability to give full and frank legal advice on some of the most contentious and difficult issues the Government will be considering.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, how many police officers have been charged with (a) grievous bodily harm or (b) actual bodily harm by the Crown Prosecution Service and then acquitted after a trial in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
Answered by Robert Buckland
The offences of grievous and actual bodily harm are created by the Offences against the Person Act 1861. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a central record of defendants charged with, or prosecuted for these offences. This information could only be obtained by examining CPS case files, which would incur disproportionate cost.
While the CPS does not hold a central record of defendants prosecuted by specific offences, records are held reporting the number of defendants, identified as being persons serving with the police, who are assigned the Principal Offence Category ‘Offences against the Person’ at finalisation. Persons serving with the police are defined as, and include, police staff, community support officers and contracted escort and detention officers in addition to serving police officers. These figures are identified by way of a monitoring flag, administered by a member of staff highlighting it as a “Police complaint” case.
The table below shows the number of prosecuted defendants, flagged as being persons serving with the police and whose Principal Offence Category was identified as ‘Offences against the Person’, in each of the last five years.
| 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 | 2015-2016 | 2016-2017 | 2017-2018 |
Total Defendants Prosecuted | 43 | 45 | 121 | 94 | 92 |
Total Trials | 16 | 18 | 31 | 21 | 39 |
Convicted after Trial | 9 | 10 | 13 | 8 | 18 |
Acquitted after Trial | 7 | 8 | 18 | 13 | 21 |
% Acquitted | 44% | 44% | 58% | 62% | 54% |
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, how many and which (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have visited the Irish border in the last 12 months; when those visits took place; and how long they spent at the border in each of those visits.
Answered by Robert Buckland
Details of Ministers’ overseas travel are published quarterly and are available on GOV.UK.
No Officials from the Attorney General’s Office have visited the Irish Border in the past 12 months.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, how many police officers have been charged by the CPS and then acquitted after a trial in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
Answered by Robert Buckland
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains a central record of the number of suspects and defendants identified as being persons serving with the police. This definition will include police staff, community support officers and contracted escort and detention officers in addition to serving police officers.
The table below shows the number of charging decisions made by the CPS, where suspects were flagged as being persons serving with the police, in each of the last five years.
- | CPS Charged |
2012-2013 | 69 |
2013-2014 | 76 |
2014-2015 | 100 |
2015-2016 | 172 |
2016-2017 | 141 |
Data Source: CPS Management Information System |
Records are also kept showing the outcomes of prosecutions, including convictions and acquittals after trial. The table below shows the number of acquittals after trial, where defendants were flagged as being persons serving with the police, in each of the last five years.
- | Acquittals after Trial | Trials |
2012-2013 | 19 | 40 |
2013-2014 | 16 | 35 |
2014-2015 | 25 | 46 |
2015-2016 | 26 | 49 |
2016-2017 | 32 | 51 |
Data Source: CPS Management Information System |
These figures are identified by way of a monitoring flag, administered by a member of staff highlighting it as a “Police complaint” case.