Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Domestic Violence Prosecutions

Thursday 4 February 2021 · 4 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 4 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Government introduced the Domestic Abuse Bill to tackle domestic abuse.
  • The CPS is working on a 12-month programme to narrow disparity between reporting and outcomes for domestic abuse cases.
  • Funding packages have been announced to deal with the effects of COVID-19 on domestic abuse.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Alex Cunningham Lab
Crime & Law Enforcement Justice & Courts
Context

Discussions on reasons for changes in domestic abuse prosecution rates.

Question

What discussions she has had with the Crown Prosecution Service on (a) identifying and (b) publishing the reasons for the change in the rate of prosecutions relating to domestic abuse in the last 12 months?

Answer from Michael Ellis

The Government take tackling domestic abuse seriously, shown by the introduction of the Domestic Abuse Bill. The CPS is working to deliver justice and protect the public with a 12-month programme for narrowing disparity between reporting and outcomes.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific reasons for change in prosecution rates were not provided.

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Q2 Jessica Morden Lab Newport East
Crime & Law Enforcement Justice & Courts
Context

Concern over reduction in specialist domestic violence courts.

Question

Will the Minister commit to strengthening the system and increasing the number of specialised courts to support police and victims, given that about a fifth of crimes reported during lockdown involved domestic abuse?

Answer from Michael Ellis

We are looking at ways to support those engaged in this work. Funding packages for dealing with the effects of covid-19 on domestic abuse have been announced, and a memorandum of understanding across the criminal justice system supports multi-agency pre-hearing case progression.

Partly answered

Not addressed: No commitment to increase specialized courts was given.

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Q3 Alex Cunningham Lab
Crime & Law Enforcement
Context

Concern over continuing decline in domestic abuse prosecutions before and during the pandemic.

Question

Despite the Minister's claims, domestic abuse prosecutions continue to drop with an annual decrease of 22% pre-pandemic. What pre-emptive actions are being taken now to stop this trend?

Answer from Michael Ellis

The reality is that all prosecutions have been affected by the pandemic, but domestic abuse cases remain among the highest priority. Guidance has confirmed prioritisation for high-risk domestic abuse cases where defendants are held in custody.

Partly answered

Not addressed: No specific pre-emptive actions were detailed.

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Q4 Ellie Reeves Lab Lewisham West and East Dulwich
Crime & Law Enforcement Justice & Courts
Context

Concern over increasing wait times and civil cases being suggested instead of criminal prosecution.

Question

With 19% drop in prosecutions and months-long waits for trials, will the Solicitor General support the Bar Council's call for non-means-tested legal aid to be available in the spending review?

Answer from Michael Ellis

The CPS best practice framework seeks to address withdrawal rates by delivering high-quality service and encouraging timely court listings. Holistic support is provided where appropriate, but immediate court listing cannot be guaranteed.

Partly answered

Not addressed: No commitment on non-means-tested legal aid was given.

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