Protecting the Public and Justice for Victims

Expresses concern over court delays, particularly for rape cases; highlights statistics showing a dramatic drop in rape convictions from 2019-2020; calls on the Government to introduce Labour's proposals including making misogyny a hate crime and improving victims' experiences in courts.

Supports David Lammy’s call for stronger action from the Government, highlighting the desperate situation faced by many women who are waiting for legal help and independent advocates.

Defends government measures on sentencing, emphasising an increase in average sentences for rape over the past decade; argues against Labour's proposals as ineffective without addressing case detection and prosecution.

Highlights legal limitations in discussing sentence increases for crimes like rape where life imprisonment is the maximum penalty.

Critiques the government's handling of court backlogs and its impact on victims; questions the seriousness of the government's stance against crime.

Defends current measures, citing improvements in court backlog reduction; criticises Labour for not supporting police during recent unrest.

Raises concerns about the government's approach to dealing with issues in the justice system, particularly regarding the treatment of victims.

Highlights the proactive work done by judges and staff in the Western region to address case loads, and mentions potential changes for magistrates court and Crown court collaboration.

Questions the Lord Chancellor about the high percentage of victims of rape who disengage before trial due to inadequate support, urging an apology and action.

Discusses the importance of quality evidence files in achieving successful convictions, suggesting improvements at the investigation stage to avoid delays.

Asks for a clear definition of success and expected timeline regarding reducing wait times in justice processes.

The Conservative party’s record of delay in tackling crime is nothing to be proud of. The central theme of our criminal justice and courts system has now become delay, with a backlog of over 54,000 Crown court cases meaning a four-year wait for justice. Victims cannot move on with their lives due to delays; the accused and those convicted also suffer. Labour proposes a guaranteed 33,000 extra sitting days and more Nightingale courts. The Government’s rape review is overdue and rape prosecutions have fallen to record lows. Labour puts gender-based violence at the top of its agenda and published a green paper on ending the epidemic of violence against women and girls.

While acknowledging issues with the justice system, Bob Neill emphasised the need for systemic long-term investment. He noted that underinvestment has been an issue across multiple Governments, not just the current one. There is a need for more holistic approaches to investigations of offences and addressing disclosure issues in technology-driven contexts. The court system needs proper capital investment and a functioning infrastructure to ensure efficiency. More sitting days should be lifted indefinitely until backlog levels are realistic, with support for prison system reform too.

I agree with much of what was said by the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst, particularly regarding the honourable character of the Justice Secretary and the recognition of progress made in certain areas such as rape investigations. However, I emphasise that there is still an underfunding issue within our criminal justice system, evident from the disjointed nature of services, inadequate victim support, insufficient police training, understaffing at the Crown Prosecution Service, and delays in court proceedings. We need a more integrated approach to ensure victims are prioritised.

I speak on behalf of Georgia Williams, who was tragically killed by a serial offender, to highlight the importance of ensuring that certain crimes do not allow for perpetrator rehabilitation and reintegration into society. The case of Colin Pitchfork exemplifies the need for a Parole Board framework that upholds public trust and confidence, especially given the anguish it causes victims' families when offenders are prematurely released.

I advocate for legal measures to protect the rights of bereaved families from public disasters. The Hillsborough disaster exemplifies how long such families suffer due to negligence and cover-ups, and I propose establishing an independent public advocate at an early stage to prevent such issues and ensure proper support for victims' families.

The Government has taken strong action against violence towards women and girls through legislation such as the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, banning upskirting, and ensuring longer sentences for violent offenders. However, there is significant alarm over the Parole Board’s decision to release Colin Pitchfork, a notorious serial rapist and murderer from Costa's constituency. This case highlights potential failings in safeguarding women’s safety and raises questions about whether similar issues might arise again due to inadequate reconsideration mechanisms.

The backlog issue must be contextualised, as the UK is managing better than equivalent jurisdictions. Remote hearings have been successfully embraced despite initial scepticism, leading to more efficient and swift justice delivery in the future. While progress has been made with legislation addressing stalking, choking, revenge porn, and rough sex, there are still issues such as police failings and societal attitudes towards misogyny that need attention. The justice system is crucial but must address underlying causes of violence against women and girls.

While agreeing that tackling court backlogs is necessary, Laura Trott criticises the Liberal Democrats for merely supporting government innovations like Nightingale courts without offering their own solutions. She notes the recruitment of additional police officers and prosecutors to improve investigation and prosecution efficiency.

The Government has responded effectively by recruiting more police officers, prosecutors, and court staff. Over 9,000 new police officers have been recruited to improve investigation efficiency, alongside over 400 additional CPS prosecutors to reduce caseloads. The construction of 302 covid-safe jury courtrooms and the creation of Nightingale courts are highlighted as key innovations.

While the number of young people imprisoned has fallen, reoffending rates remain high at 71% within a year. The system is failing with increased restrictive physical interventions and self-harm incidents in youth institutions. Labour opposes the Government's plan to merge youth offender institutions into secure schools under autonomous trusts, fearing it will not address rehabilitation effectively.

Expressed concern over pet theft and hare coursing crimes, advocating for stricter penalties and law modernisation. Discussed the impact of such crimes on rural communities.

Pressed the Government to address the court backlog and proposed additional measures like Nightingale courts and increased staffing. Highlighted the severe impact on victims, particularly in domestic violence cases, advocating for urgent action.

Emphasised community support through projects like OWL and advocated for stricter laws against catalytic converter theft. Supported proposals to improve justice for young people based on evidence from secure schools.

Labour seems to be trying to seem tough on law and order despite going into the last election with a lenient sentencing manifesto. Discusses case of Richard Day who was attacked and died; attacker received four years sentence, likely will return to streets in nine months. Calls for tougher sentences as public want.

The pandemic backlog is due to Conservative austerity, resulting in 15% decrease of HMCTS staff over five years and closure of 164 magistrates courts between 2010-2020. Urges Government to address case backlog impacting victims' recovery and witnesses' ability to give evidence.

Acknowledges the challenges faced by the justice system during the pandemic, including increased domestic abuse cases. Highlights the importance of the new Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and calls for a violence reduction unit in Teesside to combat knife crime.

Crime rates have increased under the current Government, with a rise in various types of crimes including knife crime. Victims are often dissatisfied with the justice system's response to their cases. Catherine emphasised the importance of addressing issues such as addiction within prisons and providing adequate training for prison staff. She highlighted the need for improved support services for perpetrators and victims alike.

Praised the dedication of magistrates, judges, ushers, legal advisers, and others who kept the justice system running during the pandemic. He highlighted the progress made in court efficiency due to technological investments and the resumption of jury trials after a global health emergency. Andy also called for better resources to support individuals with mental health or learning difficulties navigating the courts.

Criticised the justice system's failures, highlighting issues such as delayed cases and budget cuts. She mentioned the collapse of the Hillsborough trial as an example of justice failing victims' families. Kim called for reforms to ensure public officials are held accountable and proposed measures like the Hillsborough law to improve legal funding parity. She also criticised the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill for restricting fundamental rights.

As highlighted, violence against women and girls is endemic, affecting one in three women. The current criminal justice system faces significant issues such as a backlog of over 58,000 cases in the Crown court and low conviction rates for sexual assault cases, leading to a lack of trust among victims. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill does not address these issues adequately, and there is an urgent need for institutional overhaul to ensure survivors receive justice.

The criminal justice system has been weakened over the past decade with a reduction in police numbers and court closures. This has led to an increase in violent crimes, including a quadrupling of knife crime in Warwickshire since 2013-14. There are also significant issues regarding sexual violence and harassment, with record low conviction rates for perpetrators and a lack of trust among victims due to the current system's inadequacies.

The Government are failing to support victims of violence against women and girls. This includes a significant backlog in court cases and low prosecution rates for rape, indicating that the system is not working effectively for survivors.

The lack of Government presence during this debate on violence against women is disgraceful, highlighting a serious failure to address the critical issues at hand.

The Government has taken significant action to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on the justice system, including additional funding (£250 million), hiring more staff (1,600 extra HMCTS staff), setting up jury courtrooms (402 Crown court jury courtrooms), and implementing remote hearing technology. The judiciary, along with various organisations such as HMCTS, barristers, solicitors, the Crown Prosecution Service, police, and probation service, have worked tirelessly to keep the justice system running. Despite these challenges, results are being seen: 20,000 remote hearings a week (a 4,000% increase since the pandemic), courtrooms with covid-safe measures in place (450 courtrooms), Nightingale courts opened nationwide (60 sites), and £300 million allocated for victim support. The outstanding caseload in magistrates courts is dropping by about 2,000 cases a week, while Crown court disposals are running at around 5% above pre-covid levels.