Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Rape Cases: Conviction and Prosecution Rates

Tuesday 14 December 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 1 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The hon. Lady Wera Hobhouse highlighted that only 1% of rape cases reach trial and raised concerns about the handling of victims' personal records.
  • The Minister committed to a pilot program, Operation Soteria, involving two officers to investigate rape allegations, with one focusing on liaison with victims.
  • The Minister acknowledged poor performance metrics for rape case prosecution and emphasized the need for a collaborative approach to improve the justice system.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Wera Hobhouse Lib Dem Bath
Crime & Law Enforcement Justice & Courts
Context

A recent report from the Victims Commissioner found that only 1% of rape cases make it to trial, prompting concerns about current measures.

Question

According to a recent report, just 1% of rape cases made it to trial. The Minister has mentioned new measures trying to improve this record. However, many rape victims reported their sexual history and mental health records being 'pulled apart'. Will the Minister commit to radical reform of Crown Prosecution Service governance as called for by the End Violence Against Women Coalition to ensure that victims are not treated as suspects?

Answer from James Cartlidge

The hon. Lady makes an excellent point. The main pilot we will be holding for Operation Soteria is with Avon and Somerset police, where instead of the usual single officer investigating allegations of rape, two officers will be involved, one of whom will have primary responsibility for liaising with the victim to avoid attrition in the system.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Commitment to radical reform of CPS governance

How: Let Me Explain, Importance Of This Pilot

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Q2 Wera Hobhouse Lib Dem Bath
Justice & Courts Women & Equalities
Context

Concern over victims of rape and domestic abuse having to pay for child contact services, impacting their ability to maintain abuser's contact with the child.

Question

Does my hon. Friend think it is right that victims of rape and domestic abuse should have to pay child contact costs to maintain their abuser's contact with their child?

Answer from James Cartlidge

Let me first add my comments to those of the Secretary of State in terms of the experience of my hon. Friend. She has been incredibly courageous. I am speaking on behalf of the Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Louth and Horncastle (Victoria Atkins), who I will ask to write to my hon. Friend on that specific point.

Not addressed: Specific issue raised about paying child contact costs

How: Let Me First Add My Comments, Courage Of My Hon. Friend

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Q3 Kate Griffiths
Crime & Law Enforcement Justice & Courts
Context

First rape review scorecard shows poor performance with only 0.6% of adult rape cases resulting in a charge, taking three times as long compared to other crimes.

Question

The first rape review scorecard published last week showed poor performance: just 0.6% of adult rape cases reported to police resulted in a charge and it takes three times longer for rape cases to get through the justice system compared with other crimes. While welcoming section 28 roll-out, Labour called for this back in March. The Government apologised but progress is slow. How much longer will survivors have to wait for justice?

Answer from James Cartlidge

While key 2020-21 data show that performance is consistently lower than the baseline in priority areas, these metrics reflect the period before the rape review was published and the action plan was implemented. The focus should be on a joined-up collaborative approach to improve the system.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Timeline for significant improvements

How: Reflects Pre-Action Plan, Collaborative Approach

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

Published the interim rape review report with plans to improve criminal justice system response.

Question

What steps is he taking to improve conviction and prosecution rates for cases of rape?

Answer from James Cartlidge

Published the interim rape review report in June, expanding pre-recorded cross-examination under section 28, rolling out Operation Soteria and introducing single source of 24/7 support for victims.

Answered
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