Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministerial Statement

Rape and Sexual Violence: Criminal Justice Response

10 July 2023 · 14 other contributors

Opened by Sarah Dines Con Constituency

Crime & Law EnforcementJustice & Courts

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Sarah Dines raised concerns about rape and sexual violence: criminal justice response in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

Key points

  • The Government is committed to protecting public safety and fighting crime, emphasising the importance of tackling rape and sexual violence.
  • The Minister highlighted efforts such as ending digital strip searches and introducing new measures.
  • Current challenges faced by victims of rape and sexual violence were acknowledged.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Government Statement

Sarah Dines

The Minister of State, Home Office, Sarah Dines, made a statement on measures to improve the criminal justice response to rape and sexual violence. The Government is committed to protecting public safety and fighting crime, emphasising the importance of tackling rape and sexual violence due to their profound impact on victims' dignity and lifelong consequences. Acknowledging the current challenges faced by victims, Dines highlighted efforts such as ending digital strip searches and introducing new legislation through the Victims and Prisoners Bill to protect victims’ privacy rights during investigations. Over £6 million has been provided for Operation Soteria, a programme involving world-leading academics and frontline officers from 19 police forces to develop a national operating model for rape and serious sexual offence investigations focusing on suspects rather than victims. This initiative saw positive changes in several forces, with charge volumes increasing significantly across Avon and Somerset, Durham, the West Midlands, and South Wales. The Minister announced an additional £8.5 million to support ongoing improvements, including establishing a joint unit with the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and College of Policing for oversight, training 2,000 investigators by April next year, and implementing new first responder courses for recruits. HMICFRS has been commissioned to inspect forces' implementation of the model, ensuring scrutiny for further progress.

Other contributors (14)
  • Pete Wishart SNP Perth and North Perthshire

    Question

    Mr Wishart asked what specific measures are being taken by the police in Scotland regarding Operation Soteria, given that the initiative was primarily focused on England and Wales.

    Minister reply

    The Minister responded that while Operation Soteria is initially targeted at England and Wales, the Government aims to ensure its principles and benefits can be applied across all jurisdictions. The academic rigour and best practices developed will inform similar initiatives in Scotland and other regions.

  • Tonia Antoniazzi SNP Glasgow North East

    Question

    Ms Antoniazzi queried the specific funding allocated to police forces for training and capacity-building under Operation Soteria, requesting details on how this funding will be distributed.

    Minister reply

    The Minister stated that £8.5 million is being provided to support the implementation of the national operating model across all police forces in England and Wales. This includes establishing a joint unit with NPCC and College of Policing for oversight, training 2,000 investigators by April next year, and ensuring no adult victim lacks phone access for more than 24 hours.

  • Ellie Reeves Lab Lewisham West and Penge

    Question

    Ms Reeves inquired about the Government’s stance on Labour's proposal to introduce legal advocates for all rape victims as part of the Victims and Prisoners Public Bill Committee, seeking clarity on their position.

    Minister reply

    The Minister confirmed that while the Government recognises the importance of providing support to victims, it needs further consultation with policing partners before making a definitive commitment. The Government remains open to Labour’s proposals but requires time for comprehensive assessment.

  • Jess Phillips Lab Birmingham Yardley

    Question

    I of course welcome today’s statement—any progress on this issue is to be welcomed—but I would outline that the rape review was commissioned in 2019. It then took two years to publish, and we rightly got an apology from the Government for the catastrophic decline in prosecutions... What the Government are celebrating today is simply the beginning of a reversal of their failure of survivors—like smashing a vase and celebrating when it is half stuck back together with sellotape.

    Minister reply

    I thank the hon. Lady for those comments. I am afraid that I do not accept that the work has been piecemeal. This is a sea change in how the model is being operated... We have already completed a national roll-out of pre-recorded evidence, which is one of the main things victims ask about when they want special rape trials... To ease the court process further, we are updating the victims code, so that members of the Crown Prosecution Service team must meet rape victims ahead of their court cases to answer their questions and allay any fears they have.

  • Caroline Nokes Con Romsey and Southampton North

    Question

    I gently say to my hon. Friend the Minister that some kinds of offences can and should be singled out... However, I was pleased to hear her single out Avon and Somerset police, and I pay tribute to Chief Constable Sarah Crew, who is the most amazing woman and has spearheaded efforts in that police force to ensure victims are treated sensitively, appropriately and swiftly. The same cannot be said about every police force.

    Minister reply

    I am grateful to my right hon. Friend; I know she does great work in this area. I too have been thoroughly impressed at my many meetings with Sarah Crew... In relation to the Metropolitan police, I have met the commissioner and the deputy commissioner, and I sense there is a change. The oil tanker is moving.

  • Diana R. Johnson Lab Kingston upon Hull North and Cottingham

    Question

    I associate myself with the words of the Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee... We also urged the Government to collect and publish data on the number of police officers in each force with specialist rape and serious sexual offence training... Can she confirm how many serving police officers, as of today, have received specialist training on rape and serious sexual assault?

    Minister reply

    I thank the right hon. Lady for her incisive questions. I suggest that the issue is about specialism, rather than specialist units... The National Police Chiefs’ Council is very firmly looking at what will be rolled out. The modules in relation to domestic abuse and to rape and serious sexual offences are being updated.

  • Alberto Costa Con South Leicestershire

    Question

    I welcome the Government’s measures on rape and sexual violence, but I invite the Minister to consider this: Colin Pitchfork... Does she agree that that position can only be regarded as irrational?

    Minister reply

    I agree with my hon. Friend. The case of Colin Pitchfork is dreadful, and I am very aware that the Ministry of Justice are working hard on that.

  • Wendy Chamberlain Lib Dem North East Fife

    Question

    It is clear that Operation Soteria is seeing improvements, but the bar is very low. The Met was found in the Casey report to have a strategic and operational failure to tackle rape and sexual offences, which compounds the harm of victims. Will the thematic inspection look at the capability of resources to investigate crimes?

    Minister reply

    As far as I have been instructed, the inspector will be looking at that. The Home Secretary has made it very clear that standards must and will improve in the Met as a matter of urgency.

  • Kate Kniveton

    Question

    To rid victims of the feeling of shame associated with rape and encourage more victims to speak out, should the investigation focus on the suspect rather than undermining and digital strip searching of the victim?

    Minister reply

    My hon. Friend makes one of the most important points so far this afternoon. The Government need to treat rape sensitively and focus a little more on the aggressor—the alleged rapist—to ensure that there is more fairness and justice in investigations.

  • Andy McDonald Lab Middlesbrough and Thornaby East

    Question

    Does the Minister agree that one major issue is around people having confidence to engage with the system, which would be better served by its embracing the principles of the independent legal advocate scheme?

    Minister reply

    The Government do not agree at this stage that that is the right way forward. The crux of the matter lies with specialism of the investigation—with sensitive policing and listening to victims.

  • Tracey Crouch

    Question

    What precise support historical victims of rape will receive following the review? Will it mean that, for my constituent and other victims of rape, justice will finally be secured?

    Minister reply

    Through the Ministry of Justice’s new Victims and Prisoners Bill, all victims will receive further assistance. The Minister is willing to write or get another relevant Minister in the Ministry of Justice to write with more particulars.

  • Philip Hollobone

    Question

    What progress has been made across the court system with new procedures for pre-recorded cross-examination and are rapists now serving longer sentences than before?

    Minister reply

    The national roll-out of pre-recorded evidence spares victims. The victims code will go further in allowing and mandating prosecutors to meet people about to give evidence who have been the victim of an alleged rape.

  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Question

    While I welcome the fact that 43 police forces in England and Wales are implementing a new approach to investigating rape, what information sharing there is with the regional Administrations about these protocols and what additional funding is available for Northern Ireland?

    Minister reply

    The holistic new approach affects and influences the whole way we deal with fighting rape. The Minister will be very happy to get another relevant Minister to write to explain what more can be done to assist.

Shadow Comment

Jess Phillips

The shadow Home Secretary, Jess Phillips, welcomed the statement while criticising the Government’s delayed response and piecemeal changes. She highlighted that charges dropped to their lowest levels during the period when rape offences recorded by police reached record highs, indicating a failure of survivors. With hundreds of cases still uncharged in various areas, Phillips stressed that current improvements are merely reversing previous failures. The number of outstanding rape cases has increased to 2,040, and the attrition figure stands at an alarming 62%. She questioned whether the Government would support Labour’s proposal for legal advocates for all rape victims, as proposed by Ellie Reeves in the Victims and Prisoners Public Bill Committee. Phillips also asked if academic rigour will continue across all forces as Operation Soteria is rolled out nationally. Additionally, she challenged the Government to think faster about implementing specialist rape units and increasing the number of prosecutors to reduce backlogs.

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