Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his Department's policy paper, End-to-End Rape Review Report on Findings and Actions, published on 18 June 2021, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the change in the level of Government funding to the (a) police and (b) Crown Prosecution Service on the conviction rates of rape cases since 2010.

The Government has recognised that the decline in the number of rape and serious sexual offences being prosecuted in England and Wales is a cause for significant concern.

The review revealed wide-ranging reasons behind the fall in cases reaching court, including delays in the investigation process, a lack of specialist and consistent support for victims, and an increase in invasive requests for their personal data. The Action Plan seeks to directly address these issues and increase the number of cases getting to court, without compromising defendants’ right to a fair trial.

We continue to provide significant investment to support victims, fight crime and bring more perpetrators to justice. The Government has committed over £170m to be invested into victim services, including £27m to recruit more Independent Sexual Violence and Domestic Abuse advisors, an additional £85m to the Crown Prosecution Service and £3.2m on Operation Soteria. We have also allocated over a quarter of a bullion pounds on recovery last financial year.