Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Attorney General, if he will commission research into the extent to which charging decisions made by the Crown Prosecution Service differ from the expectation of (a) Police and (b) victims of crime.

HMCPSI provide reports to the Law Officers and the public on the work of the CPS and that includes analysis of charging decisions made by the CPS with reference to the Code for Crown Prosecutors. HMCPSI reports and CPS performance information do not provide data on the expectations of the police or victims as to charging decisions and any difference between those expectations and the charging decision made by the CPS.

If the police wish to query or challenge a CPS charging decision, that can be done through a formal escalation procedure. If a victim wishes to query or challenge a CPS charging decision that can be done through the Victim’s Right to Review Scheme, the Victim Communication and Liaison Scheme and the CPS Feedback and Complaints Scheme.