Violence against Women and Girls

Answer from Sarah Sackman

For too long, women and girls across the country have faced routine threats of appalling violence and abuse. This Government were elected with a clear mandate to halve violence against women and girls within a decade; that is what we will deliver, and it is something to which I am personally committed. In the early stages of that process, I have recently met both the Domestic Abuse Commissioner and the Victims' Commissioner to discuss how the Crown Prosecution Service can work closely with the police from the earliest point to build robust, victim-centred investigations that will drive improvements in conviction rates.

Answer from Sarah Sackman

I congratulate my hon. Friend on her election as chair of the Work and Pensions Committee. The statistics that she has given are indeed worrying, and the mission of halving violence against women and girls is therefore central to the Government's agenda. Behind each of those statistics lie heartbreaking personal stories. We need to do much better, which is why the Lord Chancellor has committed herself to introducing specialist rape courts to fast-track rape cases and why the Home Office is delivering plans to introduce specialist rape and sexual offence teams in every police force.

Answer from Sarah Sackman

I thank my hon. Friend for raising an important issue. He is right: Clare's law is a powerful tool, and it needs to be applied more evenly and consistently. The domestic violence disclosure scheme, known as Clare's law, enables the police to disclose information to a victim, or potential victim, of domestic abuse about previous abusive or violent offending by a partner or ex-partner. The police need to consider each request on its own merits. However, more needs to be done to ensure that the scheme is used consistently by police forces across the country, and I understand that the Home Office is currently engaging with the police to see how its application can be improved.

Answer from Sarah Sackman

I absolutely share my hon. Friend's concerns. As her constituent's heartbreaking experience illustrates, such delays are traumatic for victims. They too often lead to what is known as victim attrition, which leads to trials collapsing and deters others from reporting these sorts of offences. This has gone on for far too long, and we need to get a grip on the situation. That is why the Lord Chancellor has committed to introducing specialist rape courts and working with the judiciary to drive down wait times.

Answer from Sarah Sackman

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to highlight the incredibly distressing figures. As I said before, the human stories that lie behind them will each tell a tragic tale, which is why tackling this issue is at the heart of this Government's agenda. I am happy to meet my hon. Friend and her local chief Crown prosecutor, Jonathan Storer, to discuss this serious issue and look at how we can improve joint working between the CPS and the police.

Answer from Sarah Sackman

We know that the availability of sufficiently experienced prosecutors is a problem that needs to be looked at. That is why, in appropriate cases, we are looking at using associate prosecutors to clear the backlog in our courts more generally, but for the most serious crimes of rape and violence against women and girls, we need specialist prosecutors. The Government will be looking closely at both recruitment and retention.

Answer from Sarah Sackman

It is vital that we place victims at the centre of our justice system, which is why this Government are looking to strengthen the powers of the Victims' Commissioner. As we announced in the King's Speech, the victims, courts and public protection Bill will strengthen those powers to improve accountability and ensure that victims' voices are centred and heard from start to finish throughout the criminal justice process.

Answer from Sarah Sackman

The mission to halve violence against women and girls within the next decade is a central priority for the Government. Cross-departmental working between the Attorney General's office, the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice will be crucial. At present, we are looking at exactly how this prioritisation will be communicated across the criminal justice system.

Answer from Sarah Sackman

There is a commitment to introduce specialist rape courts, working to fast-track rape cases and driving down wait times. Additionally, putting domestic abuse experts in 999 control rooms at the start of the system will be important.