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1133866

	registered interest
	date	21/06/2019
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Rape: Prosecutions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, how many and what proportion of cases of suspected rape were given a No Further Action as a result of insufficient evidence to proceed in each of the last three years.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Heeley
	tabling member printed	Louise Haigh
	uin	267760
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/06/2019 answer text <p>Rape and serious sexual offences are devastating crimes that have a profound impact on victims, and are some of the most challenging and complex cases that the CPS deals with. Where evidence submitted by the Police is sufficient to bring charges, the CPS will not hesitate to prosecute these horrific crimes.</p><p> </p><p>The CPS maintains a central record to show the overall number of charging decisions where a decision has been made to take No Further Action in cases recorded as rape on the system. The data is shown below broken down by financial year:</p><p> </p><ul><li><p>In 2015-16, 31.5% of cases of suspected rape were not prosecuted due to evidential issues (2,162 cases)</p></li><li><p>In 2016-17, 31.2% of cases of suspected rape were not prosecuted due to evidential issues (2,061 cases)</p></li><li><p>In 2017-18, 29.7% of cases of suspected rape were not prosecuted due to evidential issues (1,786 cases)</p></li></ul> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 26/06/2019 10:19:33 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	4473 label Biography information for Louise Haigh

1133384

	registered interest
	date	19/06/2019
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Rape: Prosecutions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, how many cases of alleged rape were referred to the CPS in each year since 2015-16, and in how many of those cases the CPS pressed charges in each of those years; and what the (a) average, (b) shortest and (c) longest period of time between referral and charging was for those cases.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Heeley
	tabling member printed	Louise Haigh
	uin	266848
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2019 answer text <p>Rape is a serious sexual offence which has a profound impact on victims. The CPS works closely with the Police to ensure that cases are thoroughly investigated before charges are brought because it is in the interests of both victims and perpetrators that cases do not collapse mid-trial.</p><p> </p><p>Cases involving rape and serious sexual offences are some of the most challenging, complex cases that the CPS deals with. They involve very little corroborative evidence in comparison with other cases, and this can result them taking longer to progress through the system. However, the CPS recognises that these offences are devastating crimes that have a significant impact on victims.</p><p> </p><p>The CPS maintains a record of the average number of days taken from referral through to a decision to charge. This data can be seen at annex A. However data is not held on the shortest or longest number of days from submission of a rape case by the police to the CPS through to the date of the decision to charge.</p><p> </p><p>There are a number of reasons for the steady increase in the average number of days and average number of consultations per case since 2015/16. Police are now more regularly encouraged to seek ‘early investigative advice’ to help determine what evidence is required for charge more often. Early investigative advice helps to ensure that cases are thoroughly investigated and the evidence to be brought before the court is strong. As a result, the CPS is more often involved at an earlier stage in proceedings which impacts on the average number of consultations and overall timeliness.</p><p> </p><p>There has also been an increase in the complexity of rape cases investigated by the police. Investigations often involve large amounts of electronic material (social media, emails, text messages, video and photographs) which needs to be reviewed by prosecutors before a charging decision can be made. This also impacts on the average number of consultations and timeliness of the pre-charge stage of the case.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 24/06/2019 16:48:06 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer attachment 1 file name 266848 - Annex A.docx title Annex A
	tabling member	4473 label Biography information for Louise Haigh

1132926

	registered interest
	date	18/06/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Rape: Prosecutions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of reported rape cases were not passed to the Crown Prosecution Service by the police forces of England and Wales in 2017-18.
	tabling member constituency	Torfaen
	tabling member printed	Nick Thomas-Symonds
	uin	266225
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>The Government does not hold data on the total number of reported rape cases which are not passed on to the Crown Prosecution Service by the police.</p><p>The Crown Prosecution Service publishes data on the number of pre-charge decisions for rape cases.</p><p>The Government expects every report of sexual violence and rape to be treated seriously from the point of disclosure and continues to work with the police to look at ways to improve police investigations. Through the refreshed Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy we have committed to undertake an end-to-end review into the criminal justice response to rape, from the point of police report through to final outcome in court, which will include examining police referrals to the Crown Prosecution Service for a charging decision.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 08/07/2019 15:16:26 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
	tabling member	4479 label Biography information for Nick Thomas-Symonds

1132928

	registered interest
	date	18/06/2019
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Rape: Prosecutions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, what proportion of reported rape cases that were passed to the Crown Prosecution Service by the police forces of England and Wales were returned to the police for further evidence to be gathered in 2017-18.
	tabling member constituency	Torfaen
	tabling member printed	Nick Thomas-Symonds
	uin	266227
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2019 answer text <p>Rape is a horrific crime which has a significant and profound impact on victims. It is vital to ensure that cases are investigated thoroughly in order to bring them to justice. To achieve this, it is necessary in many cases to seek further information before a prosecutor is able to determine whether or not to charge. This process ensures that cases are as robust as possible once they reach the court.</p><p>In 2017-18, cases were referred back to the Police for 61% of suspects in cases recorded as rape in the system. Whilst one situation where the CPS may refer a case back to the Police is to request further evidence, it could also be in instances when the Police have sought ‘early investigative advice’ from the CPS to assist in determining the evidence required for a charge. It is not possible to separate cases where the CPS has requested further evidence and when the Police have sought early investigative advice.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 24/06/2019 15:26:16 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	4479 label Biography information for Nick Thomas-Symonds

1132935

	registered interest
	date	18/06/2019
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Rape: Prosecutions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, what proportion of reported rape cases in 2017-18 passed to the CPS by the police forces of England and Wales were returned to the police for further evidence to be gathered, and were not subsequently returned to the CPS with that further evidence.
	tabling member constituency	Torfaen
	tabling member printed	Nick Thomas-Symonds
	uin	266233
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2019 answer text <p>The CPS recognises that rape and serious sexual offences have a significant and profound impact on victims. It is vital to ensure that cases are investigated thoroughly in order to bring them to justice. To achieve this, it is necessary in many cases to seek further information before a prosecutor is able to determine whether or not to charge. In such cases, an action plan requesting further evidence will be provided to the police by the CPS.</p><p> </p><p>When the Police are unable to respond to the action plan, the case is administratively finalised. This is an administrative process where cases are closed on the CPS’s Case Management System if, after reminders from the CPS, the Police do not submit further information. Such cases may be reopened if, at a later date, new material is provided to the CPS by the Police enabling them to decide whether to charge.</p><p> </p><p>The Police may also seek ‘early investigative advice’ from the CPS to assist in determining the evidence required for a charge. In these cases the CPS may also administratively finalise a case if after receiving CPS advice, the Police do not re-submit the case.</p><p> </p><p>In 2017/18, 22% of all rape cases referred to the CPS were administratively finalised.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 24/06/2019 16:34:49 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	4479 label Biography information for Nick Thomas-Symonds

1130703

	registered interest
	date	07/06/2019
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Rape: Prosecutions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of cases of rape reported to the CPS were administratively finalised in each year since 2010.
	tabling member constituency	Ashfield
	tabling member printed	Gloria De Piero
	uin	261500
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2019 answer text <p>It is important to stress that ’administrative finalisation’ is not a prosecutorial decision. It is an administrative process where cases are closed on CPS’ electronic case management system. It does not necessarily mean the proceedings are at an end. Such cases may be reopened, if at a later date, new material is provided to the prosecution enabling a charging decision to be made.</p><p> </p><p>Proceedings are administratively finalised when:</p><p> </p><ul><li>The police seek early investigative advice from the CPS and did not resubmit the case to the CPS for a charging decision. In these instances, the case enters the CPS records but was never actually referred for a charging decision.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>The police do refer a case to the police but there is insufficient evidence to bring a charge, sothe CPS ask the police to complete an action plan in order to improve the evidence. If the police are unable to respond to the action plan or decide not to pursue the matter, then the case will be ‘administratively finalised’ on the CPS system because the police cannot bring forward a case with sufficient evidence to charge.</li></ul><p>There was a 9% reduction in referrals from the police between 2016/17 and 2017/18. During this period, the percentage of cases resulting in no further action remained largely unchanged. There was, however, a significant increase in both the volume and percentage of cases administratively finalised. This is largely because of internal CPS administrative processes, reminding users to ‘administratively finalise’ cases where the police had requested early advice but had not resubmitted.</p><p>This coincided with an increase in the number of cases where the police have not responded to early investigative advice or an action plan has resulted in a rise in the number of administrative finalisations.</p><p>The table below shows the outcome of all referrals from the police for a pre charge decision, and show both the volume and the rates of these outcomes</p><p>TABLE KEY:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Decision to charge: Prosecutors must be satisfied there is enough evidence to provide a &quot;realistic prospect of conviction&quot; against each defendant and that the prosecution is in the public interest.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Take no further action: This is a prosecutorial decision based on an assessment that there is insufficient evidence to provide a “realistic prospect of conviction” or that a prosecution is not in the public interest. The case may be reopened if the police provide further evidence or the victim successfully appeals the decision under the victims right to review;</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Out of Court Disposal: Out of court disposals include a caution, conditional caution or the recommendation that the offence is taken into consideration with other charges;</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Other: the result of the charging decision is not known or has not been given for that suspect.</li></ul><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Volumes &amp; Rates as %</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Charge</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>No Further Action</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Out of Court Disposal</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Admin Finalised</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Other</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2010-2011</strong></p></td><td><p>3,387 (42%)</p></td><td><p>4,339 (53%)</p></td><td><p>65 (1%)</p></td><td><p>321 (4%)</p></td><td><p>18 (0%)</p></td><td><p>8,130</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2011-2012</strong></p></td><td><p>3,213 (47%)</p></td><td><p>3,281 (48%)</p></td><td><p>42 (1%)</p></td><td><p>275 (4%)</p></td><td><p>11 (0%)</p></td><td><p>6,822</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2012-2013</strong></p></td><td><p>2,889 (53%)</p></td><td><p>2,195 (41%)</p></td><td><p>34 (1%)</p></td><td><p>281 (5%)</p></td><td><p>5 (0%)</p></td><td><p>5,404</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2013-2014</strong></p></td><td><p>3,621 (62%)</p></td><td><p>1,857 (32%)</p></td><td><p>23 (0%)</p></td><td><p>341 (6%)</p></td><td><p>8 (0%)</p></td><td><p>5,850</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2014-2015</strong></p></td><td><p>3,648 (59%)</p></td><td><p>1,997 (32%)</p></td><td><p>29 (0%)</p></td><td><p>484 (8%)</p></td><td><p>1 (0%)</p></td><td><p>6,159</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2015-2016</strong></p></td><td><p>3,910 (57%)</p></td><td><p>2,271 (33%)</p></td><td><p>24 (0%)</p></td><td><p>645 (9%)</p></td><td><p>5 (0%)</p></td><td><p>6,855</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2016-2017</strong></p></td><td><p>3,671 (56%)</p></td><td><p>2,145 (32%)</p></td><td><p>30 (0%)</p></td><td><p>761 (12%)</p></td><td><p>4 (0%)</p></td><td><p>6,611</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2017-2018</strong></p></td><td><p>2,822 (47%</p></td><td><p>1,851 (31%)</p></td><td><p>26 (0%)</p></td><td><p>1,307 (22%)</p></td><td><p>6 (0%)</p></td><td><p>6,012</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Data Source: CPS Case Management Information System</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 17/06/2019 15:09:46 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	3915 label Biography information for Gloria De Piero

1130704

	registered interest
	date	07/06/2019
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Rape: Prosecutions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, what the average number of days taken from a report of rape to a decision to charge was in each year since 2010.
	tabling member constituency	Ashfield
	tabling member printed	Gloria De Piero
	uin	261501
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/06/2019 answer text <table><tbody><tr><td><p>The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a record of the average number of days taken from a report of rape to the police through to a decision to charge. Data is, however, held on the average number of days from submission of a rape case by the police to the CPS through to the date of the decision to charge. The CPS works closely with police colleagues to ensure that where individuals are charged, cases have been thoroughly investigated and individuals are properly charged and prosecuted so that the interests of both victims and perpetrators are protected and cases do not collapse mid-trial. The figures provided in the table below include the end to end timeliness from submission to the date of the decision to charge. This comprises of the time when the case was with both police and the CPS. <table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Financial Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong> </strong> <strong>Average Number of Calendar Days </strong> <strong>Receipt to Decision to Charge</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Average Consultations per Suspect</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2010-2011</strong></p></td><td><p>32</p></td><td><p>1.71</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2011-2012</strong></p></td><td><p>33</p></td><td><p>1.74</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2012-2013</strong></p></td><td><p>34</p></td><td><p>1.69</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2013-2014</strong></p></td><td><p>40</p></td><td><p>1.66</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2014-2015</strong></p></td><td><p>55</p></td><td><p>1.65</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2015-2016</strong></p></td><td><p>53</p></td><td><p>1.66</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2016-2017</strong></p></td><td><p>67</p></td><td><p>1.80</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2017-2018</strong></p></td><td><p>78</p></td><td><p>1.97</p></td></tr></tbody></table></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>There are a number of reasons for the steady increase in the average number of days and average number of consultations per case since 2010/11. The number of consultations between CPS prosecutors and police investigators is important. Consultations allow for a close examination of the evidence thus ensuring the case is strong. Clearly, the more consultations that take place, the longer the time between receipt of the case and the decision to charge.</p><p> </p><p>Police are now encouraged to seek early investigative advice more often and in particular in rape and serious sexual offences cases. Early investigative advice helps to ensure that cases are thoroughly investigated and the evidence to be brought before the court is strong. As a result, fewer cases are dropped after the defendant has been charged. With the increase in early investigative advice, CPS is more often involved at an earlier stage in proceedings and this will invariably impact on the average number of consultations and overall timeliness.</p><p> </p><p>There has also been an increase in the complexity of rape cases investigated by the police. Investigations often involve large amounts of electronic material (social media, emails, text messages, video and photographs) which needs to be reviewed by prosecutors before a charging decision can be made. This also impacts on the average number of consultations and timeliness of the pre-charge stage of the case.</p><p> </p><p>CPS prosecutors work closely with police colleagues to build strong cases which can be brought before the courts. Increased complexity has been evidenced over time by the rise in the average number of consultations with the police. Since 2010/11, the number has increased from 1.71 to 1.98 consultations per case, a rise of 16%.</p><p> </p><p>Changes have now been made to the Casework Management System to provide for a more sophisticated level of reporting. In future, CPS will be able to report the timeliness for each individual consultation.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 13/06/2019 08:28:06 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	3915 label Biography information for Gloria De Piero

1011536

	registered interest
	date	21/11/2018
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Rape: Prosecutions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had with the Attorney General on Criminal Prosecution Service charging thresholds in cases for rape.
	tabling member constituency	Hackney North and Stoke Newington
	tabling member printed	Ms Diane Abbott
	uin	194040
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/12/2018 answer text <p>The Minister for Crime, Safeguarding and Vulnerability and the Solicitor General regularly meet to discuss issues related to sexual violence, including improving outcomes for victims of rape and serious sexual offences. The Attorney General also is a member of the Violence Against Women and Girls Inter Ministerial Group, chaired by the Home Secretary, at which issues related to rape and sexual violence are also discussed.</p><p>Rape and sexual violence are devastating crimes and we expect every report to be treated seriously from the point of disclosure, every victim to be treated with dignity and every investigation and every prosecution to be conducted thoroughly and professionally.We continue to work with the police to look at ways to improve police investigations of rape and ensure that their guidance on investigating and prosecuting rape is implemented in every police force area. We are working with the CPS, Ministry of Justice and Attorney General’s Office to better understand these issues, which will be addressed in detail in the upcoming Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy Refresh.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 21/12/2018 17:12:21 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
	tabling member	172 label Biography information for Ms Diane Abbott

1007133

	registered interest
	date	14/11/2018
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Rape: Prosecutions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many cases of rape were (a) recorded and (b) prosecuted in each of the last three years in (i) the North East and (ii) England.
	tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne North
	tabling member printed	Catherine McKinnell
	uin	191415
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/11/2018 answer text <p>Figures for the number of offences of rape recorded by the police are published by the Office for National Statistics.</p><p> </p><p>The number of defendants prosecuted in the North East and England for rape offences are published by the Ministry of Justice and can be found in the Court Outcomes by Police Force Area data tool in the following link:</p><p><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/733996/court-outcomes-by-pfa-2017-update.xlsx" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/733996/court-outcomes-by-pfa-2017-update.xlsx</a></p><p> </p><ul><li>To calculate the total for <strong>England</strong>, deselect ‘Dyfed-Powys’, ‘Gwent’, ‘North Wales’ and ‘South Wales’ in the ‘Police Force Area’ filter.</li><li>To identify the <strong>North East</strong>, select ‘Cleveland’, ‘Durham’, ‘Humberside’, ‘North Yorkshire’, ‘Northumbria’, ‘South Yorkshire’ and ‘West Yorkshire’ in the ‘Police Force Area’ filter.</li><li>For the number of prosecutions, filter ‘Court Type’ by ’02: Magistrates Court’.</li><li>For rape offences, filter ‘Offence’ to:</li></ul><p>o 19C Rape of a female aged 16 or over</p><p>o 19D Rape of a female aged under 16</p><p>o 19E Rape of a female child under 13 by a male</p><p>o 19F Rape of a male aged under 16</p><p>o 19G Rape of a male aged 16 or over</p><p>o 19H Rape of a male child under 13 by a male</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 19/11/2018 17:56:01 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
	tabling member	4125 label Biography information for Catherine McKinnell

984793

	registered interest
	date	10/10/2018
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Rape: Prosecutions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, what changes have been made to CPS charging thresholds in cases of rape; and for what reasons such thresholds have been changed.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Hall Green
	tabling member printed	Mr Roger Godsiff
	uin	177584
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/10/2018 answer text <p>There has been no change of approach or policy in how prosecutors should make charging decisions in rape cases. It has always been the case that decisions are made in accordance with the Full Code Test.</p><p>The growth in the volume of digital evidence is complicating the gathering and analysis of evidence. To address the increasing complexity of cases we have introduced new guidance to help police and prosecutors with reasonable lines of enquiry and communications evidence. The National Disclosure Improvement Plan sets out further measures to ensure the proper processes are followed.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 18/10/2018 09:32:25 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	304 label Biography information for Mr Roger Godsiff