Asked by: Lord Heseltine (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many current criminal investigations by the police and HMRC began (1) more than four, and (2) more than two years ago; and of these cases how many are waiting for a charging decision by the Crown Prosecution Service.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Home Office collects and publishes information on the outcomes of crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales, including those yet to be assigned an outcome and still under investigation, on a quarterly basis. These data do not show which cases still under investigation are awaiting a CPS decision.
These can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-recorded-crime-open-data-tables.
The Home Office is working with partners across the Criminal Justice System to increase the number of cases being charged and prosecuted, and reduce the time taken to reach this point.
As of 10 January 2023, HMRC’s data shows that a total of 178 individuals across 47 criminal investigation cases opened more than two (but less than four) years ago are awaiting a charging decision from a Prosecutor (CPS in England & Wales, Crown Office Procurator Fiscal in Scotland or Public Prosecution Service Northern Ireland). HMRC’s data shows that a total of 261 individuals across 51 criminal investigation cases opened over four years ago are awaiting a charging decision from a Prosecutor. HMRC figures reflect only cases that have been referred to a prosecutor and are not the sum total of all criminal investigations that were opened within the requested timescales.
Asked by: Lord Heseltine (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the devolution of powers to the Mayor of Greater Manchester, which powers, if any, have been devolved to other Metro Mayors since December 2019.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
In January 2020, Sheffield City Region Combined Authority took the decision to progress their stalled devolution deal, previously agreed in 2015. In July 2020 The Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield Combined Authority (Functions and Amendment) Order 2020 was approved by Parliament and made, conferring on the Combined Authority the powers agreed in this deal, including powers on planning, education and transport powers.
In March 2020, a West Yorkshire devolution deal was agreed and announced by the Chancellor at Budget. In January 2021 The West Yorkshire Combined Authority (Election of Mayor and Functions) Order 2021 was approved by Parliament and made, establishing a directly elected Mayor for West Yorkshire to be first elected in May 2021, conferring on the Combined Authority powers on housing, regeneration, education and transport, and providing that the West Yorkshire Mayor will take on the functions of Police and Crime Commissioner for West Yorkshire.
Full details on the powers conferred on these Combined Authorities and their mayors are set out in the explanatory memoranda.
Asked by: Lord Heseltine (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to publish their devolution white paper.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
Levelling up all areas of the country remains at the centre of government’s agenda. We want to devolve and decentralise to give more power to local communities, providing an opportunity for all places to level up. That is why we intend to bring forward the Devolution and Local Recovery White Paper in due course. This will cover how the UK government will partner with places across the UK to build a sustainable economic recovery and set out our plans for future devolution arrangements.