Asked by: Ellie Reeves (Labour - Lewisham West and Penge)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what the compliance rate was for the Area Assurance Programme in (a) 2020, (b) 2019, (c) 2018, (d) 2017, (e) 2016 and (f) 2015.
Answered by Michael Ellis
HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI) commenced the Area Assurance Programme (AAP) in 2016 and completed the programme in 2018. HMCPSI assessed each CPS Area’s compliance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors and these results are included in the individual AAP reports available on the HMCPSI website. Therefore, figures were published by Area and by year. In October 2019, HMCPSI published a composite report of all the AAP inspection findings; the overall CPS Area compliance rate with the Code for Crown Prosecutors was 95.1%.
Asked by: Ellie Reeves (Labour - Lewisham West and Penge)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, when the HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate report on the Victim Communication and Liaison scheme will be published.
Answered by Michael Ellis
HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate’s report on the Crown Prosecution Service’s Victim Communication and Liaison scheme will be published 22nd October 2020.
Asked by: Ellie Reeves (Labour - Lewisham West and Penge)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, how many and what proportion of CPS staff have had to self-isolate due to covid-19 and what (a) role and (b) staffing grade of those staff is.
Answered by Michael Ellis
From records held on the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Oracle HR database for the period 1 April 2020 to 10 August 2020, five CPS employees (0.08% of the workforce) have been absent from work, but not ill, because of the need to quarantine or be in self isolation due to COVID-19. Three of those are employed at Executive Officer equivalent grade and held non-prosecutor roles and two at Grade 7 equivalent and held prosecutor roles.
Data Source: CPS Oracle HR 10 August 2020, categorisation in accordance with Cabinet Office guidance
Asked by: Ellie Reeves (Labour - Lewisham West and Penge)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, with reference to the 2019-20 annual report of the Victims Commissioner, what progress has been made on the joint review by HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate and HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services into the drop in rape prosecutions.
Answered by Michael Ellis
Work on the joint inspection by HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate and HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (led by the latter) has been delayed by COVID-19. However, a draft framework and methodology have been shared with stakeholders, including the Victims Commissioner, for consultation and an external reference group has been formed with the first virtual meeting to take place on 10th August 2020.
Thereafter, it is envisaged that interviews with national leads can commence in August 2020 and fieldwork across six police forces will start in September and continue until the mid-November.
Asked by: Ellie Reeves (Labour - Lewisham West and Penge)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, with reference to his oral contribution at Attorney General Questions on 9 July 2020, Official Report, Column 1110, if he will publish the framework for the CPS's interim charging protocol for cases of domestic violence.
Answered by Suella Braverman
It is essential that perpetrators, victims and their families know and understand that the criminal justice system remains open and operational during the covid-19 outbreak. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is working closely with colleagues across the Criminal Justice System to ensure that these offences continue to be brought to justice.
The interim charging protocol ‘Coronavirus: Interim CPS Charging Protocol between the National Police Chiefs' Council and Crown Prosecution Service’ was published on 31st March 2020. The interim protocol sets out how charging for all cases including domestic abuse should be managed by the police and the CPS.
The interim protocol specifies that priority must be given to the most serious cases to make sure dangerous offenders are dealt with quickly. The protocol aims to prioritise and focus demand so we are only putting the most serious cases into the courts system immediately. All non-custody domestic abuse cases have been categorised as Category B - High Priority cases. The CPS is committed to working closely with criminal justice partners and the third sector to ensure that victims and witnesses remain at the heart of the process.
Asked by: Ellie Reeves (Labour - Lewisham West and Penge)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, with reference to the Victims Commissioner's annual report 2019/20, what steps the Attorney General is taking with the Lord Chancellor to promote the changes to the review into the unduly lenient scheme to ensure victims are aware of their right to request a challenge.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Law Officers promote the unduly lenient sentence scheme and its extension, including in Parliament and on social media. It is important that those in contact with victims at the time of sentencing ensure those victims are aware of the right to request a review of the sentence in qualifying cases. The Lord Chancellor consulted on including this in the Victims’ Code which is due to be published later this year.
Asked by: Ellie Reeves (Labour - Lewisham West and Penge)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, with reference to the 2019-20 annual report of the Victims Commissioner, what steps the Attorney General is taking with the Lord Chancellor to (a) promote the updated changes to the unduly lenient scheme and (b) increase the awareness of those changes among victims as part of the upcoming launch of the new Victims’ Code.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Law Officers promote the unduly lenient sentence scheme and its extension, including in Parliament and on social media. The Lord Chancellor, in the recent Victims’ Code public consultation, sought views on a requirement that witness care officers inform victims of the right to request a review of a sentence, at the time of sentence. The Ministry of Justice are currently analysing the responses to the consultation and aim to publish the revised Victims’ Code later this year. As set out in the consultation, raising awareness of the Victims’ Code will be an important part of the re-launch.
Asked by: Ellie Reeves (Labour - Lewisham West and Penge)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, with reference to the 2019-20 annual report of the Victims Commissioner, what progress has been made on the Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate case study review as part of the Government’s end to end rape review.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The case study referred to in the Victims Commissioners Annual Report was HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI)’s Rape Inspection Report published on 17th December 2019, which focussed on the role of the Crown Prosecution Service.
The Inspection and Report were carried out as a part of the cross-Government end-to-end review of the criminal justice system response to rape. One of the recommendations from this report was that HMCPSI should carry out a joint inspection with the police inspectorate, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire Rescue Services (HMICFRS), of the CPS and police response to rape allegations in order to delve deeper into this issue. That inspection is expected to commence in late August 2020.
Asked by: Ellie Reeves (Labour - Lewisham West and Penge)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what steps she is taking with the Lord Chancellor to increase the number of pre-trial video recordings of cross-examination of vulnerable victims in Crown courts; to which additional Crown court locations she plans to make available that capability; and when she plans to do so.
Answered by Michael Ellis
I am pleased that the Lord Chancellor has recently approved national rollout plans for pre-recorded cross examination, for Section 28 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999, for vulnerable witnesses in Crown Court centres in England and Wales.
This plan includes a focus on rolling out Section 28 to London and the South East in the first wave in August, followed by all remaining Crown Courts in England in Wales in the autumn. This is a crucial step to support vulnerable victims and witnesses to give their best evidence.
HMCTS’s intention has always been to complete a national rollout of this service to all Crown Courts by the end of this year and there is extra benefit in having this service available to support more victims and witnesses in light of COVID-19.
Asked by: Ellie Reeves (Labour - Lewisham West and Penge)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what steps he is taking to support the pro bono work of lawyers.
Answered by Robert Buckland
As pro bono champions in Government, the Attorney General and I attended events during Justice Week to encourage and support the excellent work being done by the pro bono community. We also chair the Pro Bono Committee that helps to promote and coordinate the work already being done by pro bono lawyers.
From personal experience I know that pro bono work not only brings a sense of responsibility but also a tremendous sense of achievement and pride in what can be accomplished. Over the last year I have been immensely proud what has been achieved through the dedication of the all those involved in pro bono work and I am consistently struck by the commitment shown.