Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Crown Prosecution Service: Effectiveness in Ensuring Access to Justice

Thursday 20 October 2022 · 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 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The CPS commissioned independent research to better understand what victims want and need and to identify areas for improvement.
  • The CPS published yearly data, including nearly 78,000 decisions eligible for the victims' right to review scheme.
  • The number of rape prosecutions has increased by 30% compared to the last quarter before the pandemic.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Emma Lewell Lab South Shields
Crime & Law Enforcement Justice & Courts
Context

The question arises from the need to assess the effectiveness of the CPS in ensuring justice for victims of crime.

Question

What recent assessment has been made of the effectiveness of the Crown Prosecution Service in ensuring access to justice for the victims of crime?

Answer from Michael Ellis

The CPS is committed to ensuring that victims of crime are properly able to access justice. Last year, the CPS commissioned independent research to better understand what victims want and need, and to identify areas for improvement. On 27 June, the CPS published its response to the research findings, setting out key areas of action to improve how it engages with victims, and this includes delivering a universal service offer for all victims of crime.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific details on the effectiveness assessment were not provided; rather, an ongoing commitment was stated.

How: Commissioned Research, Set Out Key Areas Of Action

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Q2 Emma Lewell Lab South Shields
Justice & Courts Children & Families
Context

The question stems from the final report of an independent inquiry into child sexual abuse, focusing on implementing all its recommendations.

Question

I thank the Attorney General for that response, but this Government's inability to prioritise victims is well documented. Today, the final report of the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse will be published. For these victims, their abuse is not historical; they live with it every single day, and they need justice. Will he commit to implement all the recommendations in full?

Answer from Michael Ellis

This Government have repeatedly shown, and rightly so, our support for victims and prioritising the rights of victims. The CPS publishes yearly data—for example, on the victims' right to review scheme. Nearly 78,000 decisions were made that were eligible for the scheme, under 2,000 decisions were challenged and 270 were found to be wrong—that is 0.35%—but I want to apologise for any decisions that were wrong.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific commitment to implementing all recommendations was not given; instead, general support was stated.

How: Support For Victims, Yearly Data Publication

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Q3 Alex Chalk Con
Crime & Law Enforcement Justice & Courts
Context

The question addresses the need to continue progress in rape prosecutions, focusing on referrals from police and reducing redaction burdens.

Question

It is fantastic news that the number of rape prosecutions is now 30% higher than it was in the last quarter pre covid. Does the Attorney General agree that, if we are going to continue that progress, we need to widen the pipeline of referrals from the police? In that endeavour, we need to ensure that the redaction burden is reduced so that it is proportionate, so that those cases are passed to the CPS and victims get the justice they deserve.

Answer from Michael Ellis

I commend my hon. and learned Friend for his time as Solicitor General. I reiterate, as he has done, that since the last time I was a Law Officer a year-plus ago, the number has increased by 30%, as he rightly says, which is extremely impressive. The CPS has set out its priority areas under the victim transformation programme and we are going to work to those.

Partly answered

Not addressed: No specific commitment on pipeline widening or redaction burden reduction was given; instead, general agreement and ongoing work were stated.

How: Commendation, Priority Areas Under Programme

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Q4 Emily Thornberry Lab Islington South and Finsbury
Crime & Law Enforcement Justice & Courts
Context

The question is concerned with the potential impacts of real-term spending cuts on the CPS, particularly in relation to charge rates, court backlogs, and victim support.

Question

Will it be possible to impose real-term spending cuts on the Crown Prosecution Service without making charge rates, court backlogs, and victim support even worse than they are now?

Answer from Michael Ellis

I am grateful to the right hon. Lady for her question. As she knows, this Government have prioritised crime and the victims of crime, and we are, and always have been, the party of law and order. Whatever measures we have to take, including those we had to take when we first came in in 2010 after the appalling disaster of the previous Labour Government, we are focused on dealing with crime and the victims of crime—hence thousands more police officers now being appointed.

Not addressed: The question was not directly answered; instead, focus shifted to past government actions and current measures in law and order.

How: Government'S Priorities, Measures Taken Since 2010

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