Asked by: Steve Reed (Labour (Co-op) - Croydon North)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, how many prosecutions have been brought against individuals or groups of individuals for charges of fraud involving the coronavirus bounce back loan scheme since the launch of that scheme.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
The CPS Case Management System does not capture specific data on the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS). This information could only be obtained by examining CPS case files, which would incur disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Steve Reed (Labour (Co-op) - Croydon North)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2020 to Question 757, on Slavery: Prosecutions, how many prosecutions there have been involving child victims under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 in each year since 2015.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) records all offences charged under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and within those, the offences that involve child abuse are flagged. Since the Act came into force and up to the end of September 2019, the number of Modern Slavery Act offences flagged as child abuse is as follows:
Data Source: CPS Case Management Information System
There is no indication of the number of individual defendants prosecuted for these offences, the final outcome of the prosecution proceeding, or if the charged offence was the substantive charge at the time of finalisation. It is often the case that defendants will be prosecuted for more than one offence in the same set of proceedings.
Asked by: Steve Reed (Labour (Co-op) - Croydon North)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2020, to Question 757, on Slavery: Prosecutions, if her Department will publish annually the number of prosecutions that take place under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 of cases involving child victims.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) publishes a detailed breakdown of prosecutions for all cases flagged as modern slavery and child abuse within the 2018-19 Violence against Women and Girls Report. This is supplemented by the quarterly Data Bulletins, which are available on the CPS Website.
The CPS reviews their data publication policy periodically throughout the year and at the beginning of the financial year. As part of this review the CPS will consider what data it will publish in 2020/21.
Asked by: Steve Reed (Labour (Co-op) - Croydon North)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, how many prosecutions there have been under the Modern Slavery Act since 2015 for cases involving child victims.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The CPS records all offences charged under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and within those, the offences that involve child abuse are flagged. Since the Act came into force and up to the end of September 2019, the CPS has prosecuted 59 Modern Slavery Act offences involving child abuse.
Cases referred to the CPS by the police as modern slavery are often prosecuted under other legislation. The CPS has prosecuted 209 defendants for human trafficking offences involving child abuse, from 2015/16 to September 2019.
There is no indication of the number of individual defendants prosecuted for these offences or the final outcome of the prosecution proceeding or if the charged offence was the substantive charge at the time of finalisation. It is often the case that defendants will be prosecuted for more than one offence in the same set of proceedings.
Asked by: Steve Reed (Labour (Co-op) - Croydon North)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what proportion of staff employed by his Department are apprentices.
Answered by Michael Ellis
As of 31 January 2020, there are no apprentices in the Attorney General’s Office (AGO). This is 0% of the total staff employed within the department.
As of 31 November 2019, there are 39 apprentices in Government Legal Department (GLD). This is 1.53% of the total staff employed within the department.
As of 31 December 2019, 3.7% of staff employed by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) are on an apprenticeship scheme.
As of 31 December 2019, there are 4 apprentices in the Serious Fraud Office (SFO). This is 0.85% of the total staff in the department.
As of 31 November 2019, there are no apprentices at HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI). This is 0% of the total staff employed within the department.
Asked by: Steve Reed (Labour (Co-op) - Croydon North)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, if he will seek the release of money from the National Fund in order to set up a fund for good causes.
Answered by Geoffrey Cox
The National Fund was created in 1928 with the purpose of paying off the entire national debt. At present the fund cannot be used unless it completely clears the national debt, due to the terms of the fund’s charitable trust.
On 22 May 2018 my predecessor made an application to the High Court to vary the terms of the charitable trust so that the National Fund can be used to help pay down the national debt.
It is now for the High Court to decide whether the terms of the charitable trust should be varied. If the application is successful the money in the fund will be paid over to the National Debt Commissioners towards the reduction of the national debt.
I consider that applying the fund in reduction of the national debt is the correct approach. This approach maintains the original charitable purpose of the national fund, namely the reduction of the national debt and it honours the original intention of the donors as a result of whose generosity the fund exists.
We await a hearing date from the High Court.
Asked by: Steve Reed (Labour (Co-op) - Croydon North)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what progress he has made in his application to the High Court to release the money held by the National Fund.
Answered by Geoffrey Cox
The National Fund was created in 1928 with the purpose of paying off the entire national debt. At present the fund cannot be used unless it completely clears the national debt, due to the terms of the fund’s charitable trust.
On 22 May 2018 my predecessor made an application to the High Court to vary the terms of the charitable trust so that the National Fund can be used to help pay down the national debt.
It is now for the High Court to decide whether the terms of the charitable trust should be varied. If the application is successful the money in the fund will be paid over to the National Debt Commissioners towards the reduction of the national debt.
I consider that applying the fund in reduction of the national debt is the correct approach. This approach maintains the original charitable purpose of the national fund, namely the reduction of the national debt and it honours the original intention of the donors as a result of whose generosity the fund exists.
We await a hearing date from the High Court.
Asked by: Steve Reed (Labour (Co-op) - Croydon North)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what assessment he has made of the timescale required for the National Fund be be of equal value to the National Debt.
Answered by Jeremy Wright
I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 8 May 2018 to his Question 140746.
Asked by: Steve Reed (Labour (Co-op) - Croydon North)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what steps would need to be taken to enable the National Fund to be released for use for good causes.
Answered by Jeremy Wright
I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 8 May 2018 to his Question 140746.
Asked by: Steve Reed (Labour (Co-op) - Croydon North)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what restrictions are in place to prevent the National Fund being freed for use for good causes.
Answered by Jeremy Wright
I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 8 May 2018 to his Question 140746.