Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Rape and Violence against Women and Girls: Prosecutions and Convictions

Tuesday 9 November 2021 · 7 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 7 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Government providing 150 million for victims and witnesses, with over 50 million ringfenced for rape and domestic abuse victims.
  • Mandatory training in the Crown Prosecution Service on understanding trauma and supporting victims is under consideration.
  • Criminal justice scorecards for rape cases to be published before Christmas.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Andrew Gwynne Ind Gorton and Denton
Crime & Law Enforcement
Context

Recorded rape offences have hit a record high of 61,000 cases, with only 1.4% resulting in charges and just 1,333 convictions. The government's own review failed to agree on targets.

Question

What steps are being taken with Cabinet colleagues to improve prosecution and conviction rates for those charged with rape? Recorded offences at a record high of 61,000 cases, only 1.4% resulting in charges, and just 1,333 convictions. The Government's own review failed to agree on targets.

Answer from Dominic Raab

The Government are providing £150 million for victims and witnesses, with over £50 million ringfenced for rape and domestic abuse victims. Funding includes support services like independent sexual violence advisers to give victims confidence. The government will publish criminal justice scorecards for general crime and specifically for rape before Christmas.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Commitment to get conviction and prosecution levels back to those seen in 2016 by the end of this Parliament was not directly addressed

How: Looking At Every Stage Of The System, Improving Phone Technology

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Q2 Wera Hobhouse Lib Dem Bath
Crime & Law Enforcement Justice & Courts
Context

Only 2.4% of reported rape cases end in a conviction, leading to fear among victims about reliving trauma and getting justice.

Question

Will the Secretary of State commit to mandatory training in the Crown Prosecution Service on understanding the impact of trauma and supporting victims so that all victims come forward with confidence?

Answer from Dominic Raab

The funding includes support services like independent sexual violence advisers. We will publish criminal justice scorecards, improving phone technology, digital disclosure, suspect-centric investigations, and pre-recorded cross-examinations to prevent trauma for victims.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Commitment to mandatory training specifically for understanding trauma was not provided

How: Funding Independent Sexual Violence Advisers, Publishing Criminal Justice Scorecards

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Q3 Andrew Gwynne Ind Gorton and Denton
Crime & Law Enforcement Justice & Courts
Context

Recorded offences are at a record high of 61,000 cases with only 1.4% resulting in charges and just 1,333 convictions. The government's own review failed to agree on targets.

Question

Will the Secretary of State commit to getting conviction and prosecution levels back to those seen in 2016 by the end of this Parliament?

Answer from Dominic Raab

Improving phone technology, digital disclosure, suspect-centric investigations, and pre-recorded cross-examinations for vulnerable victims. We are publishing criminal justice scorecards for rape cases before Christmas.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Commitment to improve conviction and prosecution levels was not directly addressed

How: Improving Phone Technology, Publishing Criminal Justice Scorecards

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Q4 Nusrat Ghani Con Sussex Weald
Crime & Law Enforcement
Context

David Fuller violated 100 bodies at a Kent hospital, and the current maximum sentence for necrophilia is two years.

Question

Can my right hon. Friend consider reviewing the maximum sentence for necrophilia to ensure it reflects the gravity of the crime?

Answer from Dominic Raab

Total disgust at David Fuller's case; willing to look again at sentences. Incidents are rare but abhorrent, and the sentence must match the level of outrage and trauma experienced by victims' families.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific commitment to review sentencing was not made

How: Willing To Look Again At Sentences

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Q5 Peter Bone Con
Crime & Law Enforcement Justice & Courts
Context

Only 91 prosecutions and 13 convictions for specific modern slavery offences last year. Charity Justice and Care provides victim navigators to help prosecute evil gangs.

Question

Will the Government look at extending support for Justice and Care, which helps provide evidence to secure more prosecutions?

Answer from Dominic Raab

Happy to look carefully at providing more support for victims. Victim navigators from the charity help in prosecuting cases, dovetailing with independent sexual violence advisers supporting victims.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific commitment to extend support was not made

How: Looking Carefully At Victim Support

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Q6 Laura Farris
Crime & Law Enforcement
Context

Independent reviews by Sir John Gillen, Baroness Stern and Lady Dorrian unanimously stated that early evidence-giving under section 28 is crucial in preventing withdrawal from the criminal process.

Question

When can we expect this procedure to be rolled out across the nation?

Answer from Dominic Raab

Careful evaluation of evidence from pilots and trials. Section 28 is important for victims of rape, other vulnerable victims, more effective prosecutions, and deterring defence lawyers from waiting until court to plead guilty.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific timeline or commitment was not provided

How: Careful Evaluation Of Evidence

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Q7 Anna McMorrin Lab Cardiff North
Justice & Courts
Context

Channel 4's “Dispatches” programme exposed systemic issues leading to 80% of rape victims not reporting crimes due to disbelief and retraumatisation by the justice system.

Question

Victims of spiking, rape or sexual assault are often retraumatised by a cross-examination system that discredits them despite their experiences. The programme exposed how women feel soul-destroyed when not believed. Will the Secretary of State explain who is on trial here and what will be done to restore faith in the justice system?

Answer from Dominic Raab

The hon. Lady's sense of frustration is shared on behalf of victims across the country. There is no single solution due to system-wide failures. More victims are now reporting crimes compared to before. Operation Soteria aims to shift investigations from victim-centric to suspect-centric. Technical improvements include section 28 and better phone technology for digital disclosure. Publishing criminal justice scorecards will identify best practices at both national and local levels.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Concrete steps and specific commitments addressing systemic failures in cross-examination were not provided.

How: Technical Improvements, No Single Silver Bullet

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