Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many private law cases where child sexual abuse was alleged to have been perpetrated by a parent was that parent granted residence in (a) 2022-23 and (b) 2023-24.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The requested information is not recorded centrally. The relevant data could only be obtained by an analysis of individual case files at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2025 to Question 36655, on Sexual Offences: Crown Court, what further action her Department plans to take after 28 May 2025, when the pilot scheme will have operated for one year.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Since May 2024, the Ministry of Justice has been running a one-year pilot to enable victims of rape and sexual offences, whose cases were heard at the Crown Court, to request a copy of the judge’s sentencing remarks free of charge.
The Ministry of Justice is currently assessing the impacts of this pilot to inform decisions on future provision. This includes considering the value of these transcripts to victims based on victim survey (or feedback from victims), impacts on the judiciary and the cost implications of the policy.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2025 to Question 36654 on Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel, how many private family law proceedings (a) involved allegations of child sexual abuse and (b) resulted in the child coming into contact with the alleged abuser again in 2022-23.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The requested information is not recorded centrally. The relevant data could only be obtained by an analysis of individual case files at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the report by the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel entitled Protecting Children and Responding the Child Sexual Abuse within the Family Environment, published in November 2024, what steps she is taking in the context of the findings of that report on child sexual abuse in private family law proceedings.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Child sexual abuse is among the most vile and damaging of crimes, which is why at the King’s Speech we committed to restricting parental responsibility for perpetrators sentenced for child sex offences. The Government is focused on delivering meaningful change for victims impacted by these horrendous crimes, including within the Family Court.
The Panel’s report highlighted specific recommendations for the President of the Family Division and Cafcass to consider in relation to the Family Court and the Government will respond fully to the Panel’s report and its recommendations in due course.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 17 February 2025 to Question 29896 on Sexual Offences: Crown Court, whether she plans to engage with victims and survivors in the evaluation of the pilot scheme.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Since May 2024, the Ministry of Justice has been running a one-year pilot to enable victims of rape and sexual offences, whose cases were heard at the Crown Court, to request a copy of the judge’s sentencing remarks free of charge.
An assessment of the pilot is underway. This includes collecting applicant survey feedback, shared by victims or by those applying on their behalf. The results of the assessment will be published, and presented at victims’ sector groups, after the pilot has ended in May 2025. In this way victims’ voices will be at the heart of the pilot’s evaluation and any consequent decisions.
Surveys were sent to applicants, who gave consent to being contacted for survey purposes, asking for their views, and this information will inform the final assessment of the pilot.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 17 February 2025 to Question 29896 on Sexual Offences: Crown Court, what plans her Department has to evaluate the pilot scheme for victims of rape and sexual offences.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Since May 2024, the Ministry of Justice has been running a one-year pilot to enable victims of rape and sexual offences, whose cases were heard at the Crown Court, to request a copy of the judge’s sentencing remarks free of charge.
An assessment of the pilot is underway, and the results will be published after the pilot has ended in May 2025. This will explore application volumes, costs of provision, and any feedback from the courts on the process. It will also include applicant survey feedback, shared by victims or by those applying on their behalf.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2025 to Question 24854 on Sexual Offences: Crown Court, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of displaying information of the one-year pilot scheme in courts.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Since 28 May 2024, the Ministry of Justice has been running a one-year pilot for victims of rape and sexual offences, whose cases were heard at the Crown Court, to request a copy of the judge’s sentencing remarks free of charge.
The judiciary were informed of the pilot before launch. Requests for court transcripts are considered by judges and the release of transcripts is ultimately a judicial decision in each individual case. We will continue to engage the judiciary as we assess the pilot’s impacts and determine next steps.
We recognise the importance of ensuring that eligible victims know about the pilot and how to apply. We have provided the Witness Service, whose role is to support victims and witnesses at court, with an information sheet on the pilot to distribute to any eligible victims.
On 10 February 2025, His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service had received c.350 applications under the pilot.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2025 to Question 24854 on Sexual Offences: Crown Court, how many people have applied to the one-year pilot scheme.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Since 28 May 2024, the Ministry of Justice has been running a one-year pilot for victims of rape and sexual offences, whose cases were heard at the Crown Court, to request a copy of the judge’s sentencing remarks free of charge.
The judiciary were informed of the pilot before launch. Requests for court transcripts are considered by judges and the release of transcripts is ultimately a judicial decision in each individual case. We will continue to engage the judiciary as we assess the pilot’s impacts and determine next steps.
We recognise the importance of ensuring that eligible victims know about the pilot and how to apply. We have provided the Witness Service, whose role is to support victims and witnesses at court, with an information sheet on the pilot to distribute to any eligible victims.
On 10 February 2025, His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service had received c.350 applications under the pilot.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2025 to Question 24854 on Sexual Offences: Crown Court, whether judges have been informed of the one-year pilot scheme.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Since 28 May 2024, the Ministry of Justice has been running a one-year pilot for victims of rape and sexual offences, whose cases were heard at the Crown Court, to request a copy of the judge’s sentencing remarks free of charge.
The judiciary were informed of the pilot before launch. Requests for court transcripts are considered by judges and the release of transcripts is ultimately a judicial decision in each individual case. We will continue to engage the judiciary as we assess the pilot’s impacts and determine next steps.
We recognise the importance of ensuring that eligible victims know about the pilot and how to apply. We have provided the Witness Service, whose role is to support victims and witnesses at court, with an information sheet on the pilot to distribute to any eligible victims.
On 10 February 2025, His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service had received c.350 applications under the pilot.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 10 December 2024 to Question 17817 on Slavery: Victims, whether all victims of modern slavery will be covered by the duty.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The duty to collaborate (“the Duty”) (sections 13-14 of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024) will require collaboration in relation to the commissioning of services for victims of modern slavery where the crime amounts to serious violence. Section 13(8) of the 2024 Act will allow commissioners to determine what constitutes serious violence in their area. Modern slavery is a complex crime and the Duty does not encompass every situation where modern slavery occurs.
It is expected that statutory guidance for the Duty (issued pursuant to section 15 of the 2024 Act) will point commissioners towards the Modern Slavery Statutory Guidance to increase local commissioners’ understanding and awareness of modern slavery when preparing local joint commissioning strategies.
In practice, modern slavery victims can access support regardless of the exploitation type, which is currently delivered through the Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract. Further, the Duty does not preclude commissioners from collaborating in relation to other crime types when considering local need or arranging provision, if that would benefit a local area.