Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
Mark Allen's Law - we want throwline stations around all bodies of open water
Gov Responded - 1 Jul 2021 Debated on - 24 Jan 2022 View Matthew Offord's petition debate contributionsMark Allen, aged 18, drowned after jumping into a freezing reservoir on a hot day in June 2018.
In May 2019 we watched whilst 3 throwlines were installed where he died.
Mark could have possibly been saved if they were in place beforehand.
These initiatives were driven by Matthew Offord, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to prohibit the use on dogs of any electronic collar designed to administer an electric shock; and for connected purposes.
The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to make provision about the inclusion at local authority meetings of observances that are, and about powers of local authorities in relation to events that to any extent are, religious or related to a religious or philosophical belief.
Carbon Emissions (Buildings) Bill 2021-22
Sponsor - Duncan Baker (Con)
Holocaust (Return of Cultural Objects) (Amendment) Act 2019
Sponsor - Theresa Villiers (Con)
Kew Gardens (Leases) (No. 2) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Con)
Packaging (Extended Producer Responsibility) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Anna McMorrin (Lab)
Immigration Detention of Victims of Torture and Other Vulnerable People (Safeguards) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Joan Ryan (TIG)
Pedicabs (London) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Paul Scully (Con)
Wild Animals in Circuses Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Trudy Harrison (Con)
Social Media Service Providers (Civil Liability and Oversight) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Lord Mann (None)
Protection of Pollinators Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Ben Bradley (Con)
Burial Rights Reform Bill 2016-17
Sponsor - David Burrowes (Con)
Inclusive Britain sets out a ground-breaking action plan to tackle entrenched ethnic disparities, promote unity and build a fairer Britain for all.
In April 2023, we published a report to Parliament on the substantial progress we have made in delivering the plan.
We will publish a further update to Parliament in due course, including how many actions have been completed and a timeframe for delivering the remaining actions.
No guidance has been issued by the National Church Institutions on the use of places of worship for silent discos.
The document “Supporting Asylum Seekers – Guidance for Church of England Clergy”, which has been publicly available on the Church of England website for around seven years, states that clergy should assess the faith of those claiming conversion to Christianity and should rely on evidence to do so. The guidance also refers to the need for discernment – to be “wise as serpents” – in recognising mixed motives and the potential for gaming the system.
The Church of England educates over one million children in its 4,700 schools. Church of England schools are committed to the flourishing of children and deliver a rounded education that remains in high demand with parents. In Hendon an excellent example is St Mary's and St John's, a large, successful and thriving all-through school which yielded outstanding GCSE results this summer; the highest they have been.
The Church of England is one of the leading providers for leadership development, through National Professional Qualifications. These qualifications, in partnership with His Majesty's Government, have provided vital investment in leadership and teacher development at a time when attracting people into teaching faces numerous challenges. The Government's commitment in this area is welcome because it is a key part of ensuring improved outcomes for children, especially those who are most vulnerable.
The Church's contribution and vision for how the whole system can flourish is set out in Our Hope for a Flourishing Schools System - Foundation For Educational Leadership. It explains that Church schools "ensure a careful balance of wisdom, knowledge and skills in their curriculum planning, enabling their students not only to excel in examinations but releasing wise young leaders and courageous advocates, inspired and equipped to shape their future society. They are beacons of hope for the communities they serve, frequently standing as the most significant institution in a local area."
Over the past two years the Church of England has been closely involved with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in supporting the work of His Majesty's Ambassadors and diplomats, as part of a structured programme of engagement between the Church’s global networks and the civil service, to increase awareness of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB).
The Church was represented at the Government conference in 2022 that highlighted the need for increased global action on FoRB and continues to support the International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief. More information about the work of the International Panel can be found here: https://www.ippforb.com/about/
Bishops of the global Anglican Communion came together for the Lambeth Conference in 2022 and spent a day discussing issues of interfaith engagement, human dignity and freedom of religion and belief. At the Conference a range of calls were made, outlining priorities for the Church worldwide. The documents relating to Freedom of Religion and religious persecution can be found under the Inter-Faith, Christian Unity and Human Dignity sections here: https://www.lambethconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/The-Lambeth-Calls-English-2023.pdf(opens in a new tab)
The United Nations Security Council has recently adopted a resolution to produce an annual report on freedom of religion and belief. It was sponsored by the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates, and the resolution was based on the former Bishop of Truro's review, commissioned by the UK Government. The Security Council adopted the proposal, which will see the UN Secretary General produce an oral report on FoRB-related threats to international peace and security.
The Cathedral and Church Buildings team of the National Church Institutions has been in touch with all Diocesan Advisory Committees to remind them of its security guidance, which is also available on the Church of England website here: https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare/advice-and-guidance-church-buildings/security-and-crime-prevention
The guidance includes details of safes that are compliant with current standards. Advice on the locking of churches during the day has not changed despite the recent spate of burglaries. Historic England and Ecclesiastical Insurance advice is that existing security alarms be extended to include the church safe, or the room in which the safe is housed.
The Church Commissioners and Archbishops' Council have agreed to funding of £11 million for 2023-25 in support of Buildings for Mission, which includes £2m for places of worship maintenance/repairs, and funding for up to 20 support officers to work with communities on the care of their church buildings. This is alongside a one-off commitment of £190 million (over nine years) to support the whole Church, including its buildings, in the transition towards Net Zero 2030.
12,500 church buildings are listed, with 45% of all England's Grade I listed buildings being cathedrals and churches. The average annual cost for the maintenance and repairs to parish churches alone is estimated at £150 million, and the maintenance of our churches across the country is mostly financed by generous local donors and volunteers. Support and advice, including on available grants, is available from ChurchCare: https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare
The Church remains grateful for the continuation of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme and the Culture Recovery Fund. Money invested in church buildings has positive benefits to the wider community: the 2021 House of Good report by the National Churches Trust (https://www.houseofgood.nationalchurchestrust.org/) found that "the annual social and economic value of church buildings to the UK is worth around £55 billion. This sum, calculated using the latest HM Treasury Green Book guidance, includes the contribution churches make to wellbeing and to local economies."
The Church is committed to engaging with the Government on the implementation of the recommendations of the 2017 Taylor Review into the sustainability of church buildings (The Taylor Review: Sustainability of English Churches and Cathedrals - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)).
Acts of vandalism to church property cause distress and great inconvenience to clergy and volunteers who work hard to keep churches accessible and in good repair. For churches suffering anti-social behaviour, guidance is available here: https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare/advice-and-guidance-church-buildings/anti-social-behaviour-churchyards
General advice given to parishes is that opening the building and increasing footfall into and around the Church can help.
Thefts of metal and architectural stone from church property are of additional concern, and although the number of incidents is low compared to the height of metal theft in 2017-18, the severity of the incidents indicates that this is now part of serious organised crime. Advice is available at https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare/advice-and-guidance-church-buildings/crime-and-security-prevention
The Church is grateful to the Home Office for its continued support to all places of worship threatened by hate crime through the protective security scheme.
Further advice is available from the Cathedrals and Church Buildings Department of the National Church Institutions: https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare
During COP26, 95% of the largest developed country climate finance providers made new, forward-looking climate finance commitments, with many doubling or even quadrupling their support for developing countries to take climate action.We are now encouraging all climate finance providers to bring forward their Progress Update to the $100bn Delivery Plan, led by German and Canadian Ministers.
Earlier this year, alongside the incoming Egyptian Presidency of COP27 and the High-Level Champions, we announced a new independent High-Level Expert Group on scaling up investment and finance to deliver on climate ambition and development goals.
In the recently published International Development Strategy, the Government reiterated the Prime Minister’s promise to double our International Climate Finance (ICF) contribution to at least £11.6 billion between 2021-2026. This sustained commitment will ensure that UK ICF is focussed on driving rapid transformation and systemic shifts required to achieve the Paris Agreement goals and deliver on the Glasgow Climate Pact.
Following the South African Just Energy Transition Partnership announced at COP26, we confirmed at the recent G7 Leaders meeting, that we are working in partnership with four additional developing countries which want to accelerate their clean energy transitions.
Following my visit to South Africa in June, I have briefed Cabinet Colleagues on the Climate Action Implementation Committee about the progress we are making. During my visit I met with the South African Inter-Ministerial Committee on the Energy Transition and we made public the formal 6-Month Update to Leaders agreed by South Africa and the International Partners Group (IPG).
The COP26 Unit is working with FCDO and other Departments, international partners and the South African government to support the design of an Investment Plan against which the $8.5bn can be mobilised.
Last month I joined the Prime Minister in Kigali for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). In the communique text coming out of this meeting, leaders renewed their commitment under the Paris Agreement to keep the increase in global average temperature to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and resolved to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius as outlined in the COP26 Glasgow Climate Pact. They also stressed the urgency of enhancing ambition and action in relation to mitigation, adaptation, and finance in this critical decade to address the gaps in the implementation of the goals of the Paris Agreement, and welcomed the substantive progress made at COP26.
Four Commonwealth countries have already come forward with new or strengthened NDCs since COP26: Australia, Gabon, Dominica, and Mozambique. We look forward to working with other member states to deliver on these commitments ahead of COP27.
At COP26 in Glasgow all 197 Parties agreed to the Glasgow Climate Pact to urgently keep 1.5°C alive and finalise the outstanding elements of the Paris Rulebook. Through our COP26 Presidency, we are committed to working with international partners to deliver the commitments made at COP26.
On Mitigation, the Glasgow Climate Pact requests parties to revisit and strengthen their 2030 targets in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) as necessary to align with the Paris Agreement temperature goal by the end of 2022.
On Adaptation, we must demonstrate that sufficient progress is being made through the Glasgow Sharm El-Sheikh work programme on the Global Goal on Adaptation and on efforts to double climate finance for adaptation to developing countries by 2025.
On Finance, we will work on delivering the South Africa Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) announced at COP26 and continue discussions with potential future partners announced at this year's G7.
We will continue our ambition as an inclusive Presidency Year, collaborating across sectors and all parts of society to deliver effective climate action.
The June Intersessional on Climate Change brought together 5000 representatives across 180 parties to discuss issues relating to climate change ahead of COP27. Progress was made in many areas, including on the technical details of Carbon Markets (Article 6) following the direction set by COP26. Substantive policy discussions took place in forums created by the Glasgow Climate Pact, including workshops on the Glasgow Dialogue on Loss and Damage and the Global Goal on Adaptation, and Finance and Ocean dialogues. Parties and stakeholders also engaged positively in the first technical discussions under the Global Stocktake: the Paris Agreement’s ambition ratcheting mechanism.
More work remains to be done ahead of COP27 to drive practical action across all issues in line with the Glasgow Climate Pact and support reaching a successful outcome in Sharm El-Sheikh, and we are committed to delivering on this for the remainder of our COP Presidency.
I have had regular engagement with the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) throughout the UK’s COP26 Presidency.
I have held meetings with representatives from many countries, and also with representative groups for the regions, including the Caribbean and Pacific regions, such as CARICOM and the Pacific Island Forum.
Over 2021 and 2022, I have visited Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, and Jamaica. In all countries, my climate change discussions were wide-ranging and covered global climate ambition and mitigation, the urgency of climate adaptation and issues around loss and damage, among many other topics.
In addition to this I will visit Fiji later this month, and will also meet with regional institution representatives, civil society groups and climate champions during my time there.
Regional Ambassadors for COP26, Fiona Clouder and Ken O’Flaherty, have also discussed a wide range of topics with SIDS and conducted several visits.
The UK is committed to ensuring the voices of all SIDS are heard in the run-up to COP27, in partnership with Egypt as COP27 Presidency holders.
Since COP26, there have been 16 NDC submissions. This represents progress but the Government continues to work closely with partner countries and organisations to drive climate ambition, and to urge all countries to revisit and strengthen their NDCs by the end of 2022 to close the ambition gap and keep 1.5C within reach.
To keep 1.5C within reach, we are engaging internationally to accelerate action on reducing agricultural carbon emissions while meeting the world’s growing need for food. At COP26 we held the Policy Dialogue on Accelerating Transition to Sustainable Agriculture bringing together 34 countries to catalyse efforts to deliver the global transformation in agriculture and land use by sharing their experiences and opportunities to deliver transformation through public policies and innovation. Following these discussions, we launched the Policy Action Agenda for Transition to Sustainable Food and Agriculture, endorsed by 16 countries, to set pathways and actions that countries can take to repurpose public policies and support to food and agriculture.
At COP27, it will be for Egypt to determine their agenda. In the lead up to this transition, we continue to work closely with Egypt as the incoming Presidency and meet regularly to discuss our priority work areas, this includes delivering on the commitments made in Glasgow and how they can be built upon for COP27.
Specific discussion on that issue has not taken place. Data are not kept on the nationality or migration status of those who seek Baptism. Baptism is a sacrament ordained by God and must always be open to anyone regardless of race, nationality or status, so long as they meet the requirements set out in Canon law.
At COP26, more than 140 world leaders whose countries contain over 90% of the world’s forests endorsed the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use, committing to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030. This powerful coalition of governments, businesses, Indigenous Peoples and civil society committed to a step-change in global action on forests. The political commitment is backed by almost £14 billion ($19.2 billion) in public and private funding, including £1.5 billion from the UK, which will support action in developing countries, including restoring degraded land, tackling wildfires and advancing the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
As COP26 Presidency, we are working to encourage the innovation and commitment of everyone – people, business, countries, cities and regions – as we move the global economy to net zero emissions. This includes a wide range of energy companies.
The COP26 Presidency is working most closely with organisations that have strong climate credentials – that means companies which have committed to achieving net zero by 2050, have published a 5-10 year plan of action on how they will do this, and committed to Science Based Targets or joined the UN-backed Race to Zero.
Every country is responsible for choosing its own delegates and the UNFCCC was responsible for all accreditation to COP26.
Our key aims for COP26 were to keep alive the possibility of limiting the rise in global temperature to 1.5°C (mitigation); help the world to adapt to protect communities and natural habitats (adaptation); to accelerate the delivery of resources needed to fund the transition (finance); to complete the Paris rulebook, and to work together to deliver a safe and inclusive COP (collaboration).
We have delivered against those goals. Over 90% of world GDP is now covered by net zero commitments and 153 countries put forward new 2030 emissions targets. COP26 boosted efforts to deal with climate impacts and 80 countries are now covered by either Adaptation Communications or National Adaptation Plans. COP26 mobilised billions towards delivering the $100 billion climate finance goal and will reach it by 2023 at the latest. Through the Glasgow Climate Pact we have finalised the Paris Rulebook, and secured amongst other things a route to ambition raising on NDCs, increased funding for adaptation, and progress on action to manage loss and damage. The goal of limiting temperature rises by the end of the century to 1.5°C is still within reach. But this is based on commitments made and relies on concerted and dedicated delivery by all countries.
At COP26, all parties agreed to phase down the use of coal. The Glasgow Climate Pact secured its specific mention for the first time ever. In addition, China and India have both made commitments to act on climate change, and have endorsed the Glasgow Breakthrough Agenda. At COP26, Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Johnson jointly launched the Green Grids Initiative – One Sun One World One Grid, with over 80 signatories. India also announced a new commitment to have 50% electricity capacity from renewable sources by 2030, and China has committed to peak their carbon emissions before 2030. On coal power, both China and India committed to end overseas coal financing in the run-up to COP26.
Our key aim was to keep alive the possibility of limiting the rise in global temperature to 1.5°C, and we have delivered. But this is based on commitments made and relies on concerted and dedicated delivery by all countries.
The UK Presidency has also given significantly more focus to championing real world sectoral action than ever before and as a result has garnered significant commitments across high emitting sectors of coal, nature and land use, road transport, and methane, critical to achieving a 1.5 degree pathway.
Pledges, initiatives and funding announced in Glasgow have contributed to reducing the significant gap to achieving 1.5. The Glasgow Climate Pact requests Parties to revisit and strengthen the 2030 targets in their nationally determined contributions as necessary to align with the Paris Agreement temperature goal by the end of 2022, taking into account different national circumstances.
The UK Presidency did not invite Shell under the UK Delegation. As COP26 Presidency, we are working to encourage the innovation and commitment of everyone – people, business, countries, cities and regions – as we move the global economy to net zero emissions. This includes a wide range of energy companies.
The COP26 Presidency is working most closely with organisations that have strong climate credentials – that means companies who have committed to achieving net zero by 2050, have published a 5-10 year plan of action on how they will do this, and committed to Science Based Targets or joined the UN-backed Race to Zero.
Since 2008 a couple can marry in a Church of England church of any parish where either of them resides or is on the church electoral roll, or any parish where either was baptised, prepared for confirmation, or had formerly lived or worshipped. They also qualify if the parents of either of them have lived in the parish of that church, or have worshipped there, or the parents or grandparents of either of them were married there.
Being married in a church not only reflects the faith commitment of the couple but their connection to the communities to which they are linked, whether through present circumstances or family histories. This policy of ‘qualifying connections’ allows couples great flexibility in choosing their wedding venues while also maintaining those important community links.
There are many positive effects of attending a church in order to get married there and the website yourchurchwedding.org encourages couples to ‘just ask’ to find out how they can get married in church.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to PQ 23158 on 6 July 2021.
Accelerating the global energy transition from coal to clean power is a top priority of the UK COP26 Presidency. We are working with countries to expand the use of clean, renewable energy sources such as onshore and offshore wind. We launched the Energy Transition Council to bring together the political, financial and technical leaders of the global power sector to ensure that clean power is the most attractive option for new power generation for all countries. At the G7, members committed to achieving overwhelmingly decarbonised power systems in the 2030s. Wind generation will play an important role in delivering this in the UK, and internationally we are working closely with partners including the Global Wind Energy Council.
In July 2020, the government published a Long-Term Policy Statement which sets out our ambition to make the UK more resilient to future flood and coastal erosion risk. The Policy Statement includes five policies and over 40 supporting actions which will accelerate progress to better protect and better prepare the country against flooding and coastal erosion.
The government is investing a record £5.2 billion to build 2,000 new flood defences over the next 6 years which will better protect 336,000 properties from flooding and coastal erosion. Long-term investment decisions should follow an adaptive approach which takes account of climate and demographic change over time to enable decision makers to identify the best combination of resilience actions and the right time to act and invest.
We are also investing an additional £200 million to further explore actions that will improve the resilience of communities at risk of flooding and coastal change.
At COP26, adaptation and resilience will be a priority. We are calling on countries to agree and put in place delivery mechanisms for adaptation and loss and damage. As COP President Designate, I have engaged personally with over 50 countries. With donors, we have been clear that we must deliver for those that are at the front line of climate change and collectively honour the $100 billion commitment.
The UK Prime Minister launched an Adaptation Action Coalition (AAC) last month to mobilise action on adaptation and galvanize momentum ahead of COP26 and beyond and we want to encourage all parties to join. In partnership with the existing UNCAS Coalition, this will build on the Call for Action on Adaptation and Resilience to transform political commitments into tangible action on the ground.
We aim to enable action to avert, minimise and address loss and damage through wider resilience building and a specific focus on preparedness and response to natural disasters. This includes: expanding early action financing, improving early warning systems and the capacity to act on the risks they identify, and increasing insurance and social protection coverage, including through the Risk Informed Early Action Partnership (REAP) and other disaster risk reduction initiatives such as InsuResilience.
We are additionally continuing to support the Least Developed Countries (LDC) Initiative for Effective Adaptation and Resilience (LIFE-AR), which is an LDC-led, LDC-owned initiative to put in place the long term, locally responsive action that is needed to deliver a climate-resilient future.
At COP26, adaptation and resilience will be a priority. We are calling on countries to agree and put in place delivery mechanisms for adaptation and loss and damage. As COP President Designate, I have engaged personally with over 50 countries. With donors, we have been clear that we must deliver for those that are at the front line of climate change and collectively honour the $100 billion commitment.
The UK Prime Minister launched an Adaptation Action Coalition (AAC) last month to mobilise action on adaptation and galvanize momentum ahead of COP26 and beyond and we want to encourage all parties to join. In partnership with the existing UNCAS Coalition, this will build on the Call for Action on Adaptation and Resilience to transform political commitments into tangible action on the ground.
We aim to enable action to avert, minimise and address loss and damage through wider resilience building and a specific focus on preparedness and response to natural disasters. This includes: expanding early action financing, improving early warning systems and the capacity to act on the risks they identify, and increasing insurance and social protection coverage, including through the Risk Informed Early Action Partnership (REAP) and other disaster risk reduction initiatives such as InsuResilience.
We are additionally continuing to support the Least Developed Countries (LDC) Initiative for Effective Adaptation and Resilience (LIFE-AR), which is an LDC-led, LDC-owned initiative to put in place the long term, locally responsive action that is needed to deliver a climate-resilient future.
At COP26, adaptation and resilience will be a priority. We are calling on countries to agree and put in place delivery mechanisms for adaptation and loss and damage. As COP President Designate, I have engaged personally with over 50 countries. With donors, we have been clear that we must deliver for those that are at the front line of climate change and collectively honour the $100 billion commitment.
The UK Prime Minister launched an Adaptation Action Coalition (AAC) last month to mobilise action on adaptation and galvanize momentum ahead of COP26 and beyond and we want to encourage all parties to join. In partnership with the existing UNCAS Coalition, this will build on the Call for Action on Adaptation and Resilience to transform political commitments into tangible action on the ground.
We aim to enable action to avert, minimise and address loss and damage through wider resilience building and a specific focus on preparedness and response to natural disasters. This includes: expanding early action financing, improving early warning systems and the capacity to act on the risks they identify, and increasing insurance and social protection coverage, including through the Risk Informed Early Action Partnership (REAP) and other disaster risk reduction initiatives such as InsuResilience.
We are additionally continuing to support the Least Developed Countries (LDC) Initiative for Effective Adaptation and Resilience (LIFE-AR), which is an LDC-led, LDC-owned initiative to put in place the long term, locally responsive action that is needed to deliver a climate-resilient future.
Numbers on departmental staff attending COP26 are to be determined in due course.
As part of the greening government commitments framework, set for the period between April 2021 to March 2025, the Attorney General’s Office’s overall and direct emissions reduction targets are 49% and 25%, respectively.
Each CPS Area has a lead prosecutor for cases involving children, who is equipped to deal with complex casework and provide support to other prosecutors.
In May 2023, the CPS published the single biggest update to their legal guidance on Children as Suspects and Defendants, which can be found here: Children as suspects and defendants | The Crown Prosecution Service (cps.gov.uk). This guidance sets out the approach prosecutors should take when applying the Code for Crown Prosecutors when deciding whether to prosecute children. This update incorporates all recent policy, terminology, and legislative updates, and is intended to reflect a ‘Child First’ justice principle.
Operation Soteria is a significant step-change in Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and Police ways of working to ensure national consistency in the approach to handling adult rape cases.
Since the launch of Operation Soteria pilots, the CPS has observed consistent improvements in performance on rape prosecutions.
For example, in CPS London North we have seen significant improvements in our prosecutions flagged as adult rape, with a 24% increase in the calendar year 2022 compared to 2021. Similarly, charging decisions on cases flagged as adult rape have also increased in CPS London North, by 41% in the calendar year 2022 compared to 2021.
Accountability for Russia’s actions is one of the key tenets of UK foreign policy on the Ukraine crisis – alongside military, economic, and humanitarian support. The UK is genuinely a practical and thought leader on this.
There are three broad strands to our work on accountability. First, the UK has provided expert assistance to assist Ukrainian investigators and prosecutors. Second the UK, alongside the international community, will continue to provide the International Criminal Court with the funding, people, and expertise to ensure justice is served. Third, we are exploring options to hold Russia accountable for the Crime of Aggression.
On 20 January 2023, the Foreign Secretary announced that the UK had accepted Ukraine’s invitation to join a core group of States to shape thinking on how to ensure criminal accountability for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. On 4 March 2023 at the United for Justice conference in Lviv, it was announced that an International Centre for the Prosecution of Crimes of Aggression against Ukraine will be established in The Hague, within the structure of Eurojust’s Joint Investigation Team for Ukraine. I represented the UK at that conference.
On 18 April 2023, the Foreign Ministers of the G7 countries issued a joint communiqué stating that they “support exploring the creation of an internationalized tribunal based in Ukraine’s judicial system to prosecute the crime of aggression against Ukraine.” On 26 June 2023 the Ukrainian Prosecutor General and I attended an event hosted by the Slynn Foundation which considered impunity and justice and accountability for Ukraine.
I continue to have discussions on the principle and practicalities of accountability mechanisms with Cabinet colleagues, including the Foreign Secretary and Lord Chancellor on a regular basis. In addition, I have regular discussions with our Ukrainian allies and my international counterparts on these issues.
Serious violent crime encompasses many different crime types but is more commonly associated with drug crime, knife crime, gun crime and homicide.
The CPS has a comprehensive programme of learning and wellbeing support for all lawyers prosecuting rape and serious sexual offences, including those in London. All lawyers dealing with such casework are required to undertake bespoke training providing a clear understanding of the complexities surrounding the offence, the suspect centric approach, the impact of trauma upon victim’s memory and how to reach Code compliant decisions and assessment of evidence. The wellbeing of all lawyers and paralegals dealing with such offences is paramount and as such, timely and accessible wellbeing support mechanisms are in place to support the mental and physical wellbeing of those dealing with traumatic material. |
The United Kingdom stands shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine in its fight for accountability for Russia’s actions. The Attorney General has regular contact with her Ukrainian counterpart, Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin. She visited him in Kyiv and joined him at Ukraine’s United for Justice conference in Lviv over 3 to 5 March, and more recently hosted him in London for the UK-Dutch Justice Ministers’ Conference in support of the International Criminal Court’s investigation into the situation in Ukraine. Prosecutor General Kostin is responsible for the extraordinary task of investigating and prosecuting crimes committed in Ukraine and has opened over 80,000 files covering a range of alleged offences. The Ukrainian authorities have brought successful war crimes prosecutions already in Ukraine’s domestic courts, in real time during this live and brutal conflict – a practically unprecedented achievement. We are supporting Ukraine in their domestic legal processes through a number of significant initiatives. We have recently concluded a judicial training programme in the region, led by Sir Howard Morrison KC, training over 100 judges in person on the conduct of war crimes trials. The UK, together with the United States and EU, has also launched the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group (ACA) to directly support the War Crimes Units of the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine in its investigation and prosecution of conflict-related crimes. The ACA seeks to streamline coordination and communication efforts to ensure best practices, avoid duplication of efforts, and encourage the expeditious deployment of financial resources and skilled personnel to respond to the needs of the OPG as the legally constituted authority in Ukraine responsible for dealing with the prosecution of war crimes on its own territory. This government remains steadfast in its ongoing support to Ukraine’s search for justice. |
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) runs an award-winning and highly competitive legal trainee scheme that has seen hundreds of trainees undertake a training contract and/or pupillage across England and Wales with the CPS since 2012. The CPS has extended its post graduate qualification requirements, to include not only the LPC and Bar Qualification, but the new Solicitors Qualifying Examination, which opens a career in law to a broader and more diverse audience. |
The Attorney General’s Office do not monitor individuals’ attendance in the office and are unable to provide the proportion of employees working from home at least one day a week. Overall occupancy data is published https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-headquarters-occupancy-data. Decisions about workforce and working arrangements are delegated to individual departments and the AGO expect employees to attend the workplace for a minimum of 40% of their time. Over the past two years, the Civil Service has had to work in a more agile way whilst still delivering essential public services. Before the pandemic, most departments worked on a basis of a ratio of desks to staff and that remains the case – so hybrid working arrangements are not new. No office operates at 100% occupancy given there will always be a number of reasons why staff may be out of the office, for example people being on annual leave, attending meetings off site or external visits. |
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not hold any data which shows the number of suspects charged with the offence of rape. However, management information is held showing the number of suspects charged, by sex, flagged as involving allegations of rape where the CPS authorised a charge and a prosecution has commenced in each of the last three years ending March 2022. The table below shows the number of decisions to charge, in rape flagged cases by the sex of suspects, where this has been identified.
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The Unduly Lenient Scheme allows the Law Officers to refer sentences passed for the most serious criminal offences to the Court of Appeal for review. The Court of Appeal has the power to increase a sentence on referral in the rare cases where the sentencing judge has fallen into gross error and imposed a sentence which is outside the reasonable range. This is an important mechanism in our criminal justice system to ensure that such sentences are commensurate with the seriousness of the offending and give the victims of crime confidence that justice will be served.
In the course of this year the Law Officers have successfully referred sentences for a variety of offences including controlling and coercive behaviour, rape of a child, rape, kidnapping and robbery. Earlier this year, the Attorney General successfully argued in person before the Court of Appeal that the sentence imposed on Stephen Gibbs for the attempted murder of his ex-partner was unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal increased his sentence from 13 years’ imprisonment with a licence extension of 5 years to 20 years and 7 months’ imprisonment with a licence extension of 5 years.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has had considerable success in increasing prosecutions of modern slavery cases involving the exploitation of vulnerable people. In addition to the number of offences charged by way of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, CPS records identify the number of defendants prosecuted for offences related to modern slavery, including conspiracy to commit Modern Slavery Act offences, which is charged under s1 of the Criminal Law Act 1977 . The number of defendants who have been prosecuted for modern slavery offences increased from 284 in 2017-18 to 322 in 2020-21, an increase of 13.4%. The increase has been achieved despite the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Public understanding of the law is even more essential during this unique time when individuals are facing unprecedented challenges. Public legal education is vital to help people to understand the law, their rights, and their responsibilities, and I am proud to work closely with the legal and third sector as part of my Public Legal Education Committee to support and promote this work.
The Attorney General’s Office has also recently supported Justice Week this year, delivered digitally at the start of March. It is a testament to the sector’s commitment to supporting the public in times of crisis that pro bono support and public legal education across the country has continued in spite of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Complex Casework Units (CCUs) undertake some of the most complex and serious casework handled by the CPS. A recent report published by Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCSPI) found that CCUs are staffed by highly dedicated, skilled and professional teams who deliver high quality casework, often in demanding circumstances.
CCUs are overseen through a structure of experienced legal managers including Unit Heads, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutors and Chief Crown Prosecutors. The Report identified evidence of effective and regular meetings and conversations between lawyers and managers about casework. They also identified evidence of national oversight with the referral of relevant cases being made to Headquarters for consideration.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is committed to robustly prosecuting online hate crime cases, including offline offences with online elements. The CPS works closely with partners across Government under the hate crime action plan.
On 12 August 2019, the Prime Minister announced an investment of an additional £85 million for the CPS. The work carried out by the CPS is changing, and this new funding will provide the increased capacity to enable the CPS to respond effectively to challenging trends, such as an increase in online crime and the volume of digital evidence.
Section 26 of the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020 provides a power for Ministers to make regulations to determine which Courts may depart from judgments handed down by the Court of Justice of the European Union before the end of the implementation period and in what circumstances. This will ensure UK courts are not inappropriately bound by retained EU case law after the UK has left the EU.
The UK will remain party to the ECHR after it has left the EU. The UK has strong human rights protections within a comprehensive and well-established constitutional and legal system and the decision to leave the EU does not change this.