Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Justice for Victims of Crime

Thursday 6 July 2023 · 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 is improving access to justice for victims through its victim transformation programme.
  • The Solicitor General mentioned sentencing blitzes as a method to reduce the Crown court backlog.
  • The Attorney General highlighted the importance of the victims' right to review being prominently displayed on CPS East Midlands' website.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Neil Coyle Lab Bermondsey and Old Southwark
Crime & Law Enforcement Justice & Courts
Context

The MP is concerned about the effectiveness of the CPS in providing justice for crime victims.

Question

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

Answer from Michael Tomlinson

The CPS is improving access to justice for victims through its victim transformation programme. Together with measures in the Victims and Prisoners Bill, this will help to ensure access to justice for all victims of crime.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide a recent assessment or specific findings about effectiveness

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Q2 Liz Twist Lab Blaydon and Consett
Justice & Courts
Context

The backlog of cases in the Crown courts has increased to almost 2,900 from when the Government set a four-year pledge to reduce it.

Question

In October 2021, the Government made the not hugely ambitious pledge to reduce the size of the Crown court backlog within four years. The latest figures published last week show that the backlog is now almost 2,900 cases higher than when they started. Will the Solicitor General explain what new steps the Government will take to meet their target, as what they have been doing so far clearly is not working?

Answer from Michael Tomlinson

The hon. Lady raises an important issue. One method being used is sentencing blitzes, whereby sentences are being lined up back-to-back to ensure that cases are completed as quickly as possible.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not specify new steps or commitments beyond mentioning sentencing blitzes

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Q3 Neil Coyle Lab Bermondsey and Old Southwark
Justice & Courts
Context

The Ministry of Justice's early legal advice pilot scheme cost £5 million but supported only three people over five months.

Question

The Ministry of Justice's early legal advice pilot scheme has just reported. It ran for five months, cost £5 million and supported a sum total of just three people. Instead of the Attorney General and the Government trying to reinvent the wheel by making it square, why do they not deliver better access to justice by supporting more people through legal aid?

Answer from Michael Tomlinson

In terms of access to justice for victims, I mentioned the victim transformation programme, which is vital in supporting victims. It will transform how the CPS communicates with victims and ensure that those with specific needs have enhanced support.

Not addressed: Changed subject from legal aid to the victim transformation programme without addressing the legal aid question directly

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Q4 Philip Hollobone Con
Justice & Courts
Context

The victims' right to review scheme is being rolled out across the country.

Question

The victims' right to review makes it easier for victims to seek a review of a CPS decision not to bring charges. Will the Minister congratulate CPS East Midlands on having the victims' right to review prominent on the front page of its website? Is he satisfied that the scheme is being rolled out satisfactorily across the country?

Answer from Michael Tomlinson

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising this issue. He will be pleased to know that on the law tour, the Attorney General and I saw CPS East Midlands for ourselves, and he is right. It is also right to acknowledge that the vast majority of cases are performed correctly and accurately. Of those that are not, it is right to say that 243 decisions were found to be incorrect and were reviewed last year.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not directly answer if he will congratulate CPS East Midlands or express satisfaction with the rollout

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