Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Attorney General, what assessment he has made of the (a) positive and (b) negative effects of serving a witness summons on a complainant in a court case involving alleged domestic violence.

I have made no formal appraisal, but Crown prosecution Service (CPS) guidance to prosecutors sets out the circumstances in which witness summonses can best be used in such cases. This guidance is published on the CPS website at: http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/d_to_g/domestic_violence_aide-memoire/#a25

Witness summonses can be effective in ensuring complainants attend court when they would not otherwise do so. They can also support victims who are concerned about how a voluntary decision to attend court might be perceived by ‘removing' the pressure of making that decision for them. Where a victim attends as a result of a witness summons, there is often a guilty plea.

However, it is also possible that a witness will still not attend, or may come to court but refuse to give evidence.