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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

1131070

	registered interest
	date	10/06/2019
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Rape
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, how many complaints of rape were made in each region; and how many of these cases resulted in a (a) prosecution and (b) conviction in each year since 2010.
	tabling member constituency	Warrington North
	tabling member printed	Helen Jones
	uin	262243
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2019 answer text <p>Rape is one of the most complex and challenging offences to prosecute and charging decisions have a profound impact on those involved. The CPS has undertaken extensive work over the last decade to ensure that when reaching prosecution decisions specialist prosecutors are fully equipped to deal with the particular complexities of rape cases.</p><p>While the CPS does not hold a record of the number of complaints of rape to the police, we can provide data on the number of rape prosecutions and convictions recorded by the CPS system.</p><p>The table below provides the volume of rape prosecutions broken down by CPS Area.</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>2010-2011</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2011-2012</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2012-2013</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2013-2014</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2014-2015</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2015-2016</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2016-2017</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2017-2018</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Cymru Wales</p></td><td><p>278</p></td><td><p>224</p></td><td><p>233</p></td><td><p>257</p></td><td><p>276</p></td><td><p>217</p></td><td><p>251</p></td><td><p>230</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Eastern</p></td><td><p>212</p></td><td><p>239</p></td><td><p>201</p></td><td><p>224</p></td><td><p>266</p></td><td><p>298</p></td><td><p>275</p></td><td><p>226</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>East Midlands</p></td><td><p>293</p></td><td><p>311</p></td><td><p>278</p></td><td><p>252</p></td><td><p>271</p></td><td><p>277</p></td><td><p>320</p></td><td><p>383</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>London North</p></td><td><p>495</p></td><td><p>352</p></td><td><p>349</p></td><td><p>376</p></td><td><p>414</p></td><td><p>368</p></td><td><p>430</p></td><td><p>365</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>London South</p></td><td><p>366</p></td><td><p>316</p></td><td><p>318</p></td><td><p>354</p></td><td><p>397</p></td><td><p>366</p></td><td><p>416</p></td><td><p>357</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Merseyside &amp; Cheshire</p></td><td><p>142</p></td><td><p>135</p></td><td><p>127</p></td><td><p>120</p></td><td><p>143</p></td><td><p>176</p></td><td><p>243</p></td><td><p>202</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North East</p></td><td><p>220</p></td><td><p>227</p></td><td><p>199</p></td><td><p>194</p></td><td><p>214</p></td><td><p>229</p></td><td><p>285</p></td><td><p>289</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North West</p></td><td><p>478</p></td><td><p>459</p></td><td><p>455</p></td><td><p>454</p></td><td><p>556</p></td><td><p>557</p></td><td><p>601</p></td><td><p>469</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South East</p></td><td><p>299</p></td><td><p>277</p></td><td><p>236</p></td><td><p>260</p></td><td><p>328</p></td><td><p>348</p></td><td><p>440</p></td><td><p>288</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South West</p></td><td><p>222</p></td><td><p>257</p></td><td><p>300</p></td><td><p>288</p></td><td><p>287</p></td><td><p>306</p></td><td><p>296</p></td><td><p>310</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Thames and Chiltern</p></td><td><p>202</p></td><td><p>203</p></td><td><p>181</p></td><td><p>204</p></td><td><p>266</p></td><td><p>269</p></td><td><p>303</p></td><td><p>187</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Wessex</p></td><td><p>197</p></td><td><p>161</p></td><td><p>174</p></td><td><p>207</p></td><td><p>221</p></td><td><p>200</p></td><td><p>184</p></td><td><p>118</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>West Midlands</p></td><td><p>396</p></td><td><p>323</p></td><td><p>338</p></td><td><p>346</p></td><td><p>398</p></td><td><p>506</p></td><td><p>644</p></td><td><p>553</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Yorkshire &amp; Humberside</p></td><td><p>408</p></td><td><p>380</p></td><td><p>303</p></td><td><p>355</p></td><td><p>499</p></td><td><p>526</p></td><td><p>502</p></td><td><p>540</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>4,208</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>3,864</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>3,692</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>3,891</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>4,536</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>4,643</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>5,190</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>4,517</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Data Source: CPS Case Management Information System</p><p> </p><p>The following table provides a breakdown by CPS Area of the volume of rape convictions.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>2010-2011</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2011-2012</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2012-2013</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2013-2014</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2014-2015</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2015-2016</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2016-2017</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2017-2018</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Cymru Wales</p></td><td><p>146</p></td><td><p>140</p></td><td><p>135</p></td><td><p>149</p></td><td><p>150</p></td><td><p>115</p></td><td><p>139</p></td><td><p>140</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Eastern</p></td><td><p>145</p></td><td><p>165</p></td><td><p>136</p></td><td><p>142</p></td><td><p>165</p></td><td><p>167</p></td><td><p>169</p></td><td><p>142</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>East Midlands</p></td><td><p>166</p></td><td><p>208</p></td><td><p>188</p></td><td><p>174</p></td><td><p>186</p></td><td><p>179</p></td><td><p>208</p></td><td><p>231</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>London North</p></td><td><p>258</p></td><td><p>191</p></td><td><p>187</p></td><td><p>208</p></td><td><p>217</p></td><td><p>197</p></td><td><p>232</p></td><td><p>187</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>London South</p></td><td><p>190</p></td><td><p>179</p></td><td><p>180</p></td><td><p>173</p></td><td><p>183</p></td><td><p>197</p></td><td><p>231</p></td><td><p>177</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Merseyside &amp; Cheshire</p></td><td><p>82</p></td><td><p>77</p></td><td><p>90</p></td><td><p>90</p></td><td><p>96</p></td><td><p>100</p></td><td><p>138</p></td><td><p>114</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North East</p></td><td><p>144</p></td><td><p>128</p></td><td><p>126</p></td><td><p>112</p></td><td><p>108</p></td><td><p>125</p></td><td><p>156</p></td><td><p>167</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North West</p></td><td><p>298</p></td><td><p>288</p></td><td><p>283</p></td><td><p>274</p></td><td><p>295</p></td><td><p>342</p></td><td><p>370</p></td><td><p>266</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South East</p></td><td><p>165</p></td><td><p>177</p></td><td><p>151</p></td><td><p>155</p></td><td><p>187</p></td><td><p>175</p></td><td><p>232</p></td><td><p>159</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South West</p></td><td><p>154</p></td><td><p>175</p></td><td><p>198</p></td><td><p>182</p></td><td><p>166</p></td><td><p>194</p></td><td><p>181</p></td><td><p>213</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Thames and Chiltern</p></td><td><p>111</p></td><td><p>125</p></td><td><p>112</p></td><td><p>123</p></td><td><p>157</p></td><td><p>162</p></td><td><p>162</p></td><td><p>111</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Wessex</p></td><td><p>105</p></td><td><p>110</p></td><td><p>117</p></td><td><p>108</p></td><td><p>90</p></td><td><p>99</p></td><td><p>133</p></td><td><p>78</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>West Midlands</p></td><td><p>240</p></td><td><p>200</p></td><td><p>227</p></td><td><p>226</p></td><td><p>263</p></td><td><p>309</p></td><td><p>345</p></td><td><p>311</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Yorkshire &amp; Humberside</p></td><td><p>261</p></td><td><p>251</p></td><td><p>203</p></td><td><p>232</p></td><td><p>318</p></td><td><p>328</p></td><td><p>295</p></td><td><p>339</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2,465</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2,414</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2,333</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2,348</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2,581</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2,689</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2,991</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2,635</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Data Source: CPS Case Management Information System</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 17/06/2019 15:08:02 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	432 label Biography information for Helen Jones

1132159

	registered interest
	date	13/06/2019
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Randox Testing Services
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, what recent estimate his Department has made of the number of cases of forensic manipulation at Randox that resulted in a conviction being overturned; and in how many of those cases had a custodial sentence already been served.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Heeley
	tabling member printed	Louise Haigh
	uin	264437
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/06/2019 answer text <p>There is an ongoing investigation into data manipulation at Randox Testing Services. The Crown Prosecution Service will continue to support this process to ensure that fairness and transparency in the system is maintained.</p><p> </p><p>The Crown Prosecution Service can only comment on cases that it is responsible for prosecuting. For the cases which it prosecutes, the Crown Prosecution Service does not maintain a central record of the number of cases of forensic manipulation at Randox that resulted in a conviction being overturned or a record of how many of those cases involved a custodial sentence. Such information could only be obtained through a manual search of records which would incur disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 20/06/2019 14:01:35 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	4473 label Biography information for Louise Haigh

1132234

	registered interest
	date	13/06/2019
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Randox Testing Services:
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, what estimate his Department has made of the number of prosecutions dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service as a result of data manipulation of forensic toxicology at Randox.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Heeley
	tabling member printed	Louise Haigh
	uin	264786
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2019 answer text <p>There is an ongoing investigation into data manipulation at Randox Testing Services. The Crown Prosecution Service will continue to support this process to ensure that fairness and transparency in the system is maintained.</p><p> </p><p>The CPS does not maintain a central record of the number of prosecutions that were dropped as a result of data manipulation of forensic toxicology at Randox. This could only be obtained through a manual search of case records, at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 19/06/2019 09:26:10 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	4473 label Biography information for Louise Haigh

1132830

	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	Prosecutions: South Yorkshire
	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 the date of offence to a decision to charge an individual in South Yorkshire in each year since 2010 was.
	tabling member constituency	Wentworth and Dearne
	tabling member printed	John Healey
	uin	266094
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/06/2019 answer text <p>The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) works closely with the Police to ensure that cases are thoroughly investigated before charges are brought. There has been an increase in the complexity of cases investigated by the police, with investigations often involving 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 impacts on the average number of consultations and length of time taken for prosecutors to reach a charging decision.</p><p> </p><p>The CPS does not maintain a record of the average number of days taken from offence through to a decision to charge. However, data is held on the average number of days from submission of a case by the police to the CPS to the date of the CPS decision to charge.</p><p> </p><p>Data relating to to all cases in South Yorkshire, summary only cases in South Yorkshire, and indictable only cases in South Yorkshire is shown in Annex A.</p><p> </p><p>The data in Annex A relating to summary only cases provides figures for only a minority of summary only cases. This is because the CPS is only responsible for charging a small minority of summary only matters, with the majority charged by the police. In 2017-18 the police charged 75% of all summary only matters with only 25% charged by CPS, while for indicatable only offences the CPS charged 95% of these cases.</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 2010/11. Police are now more regularly encouraged to seek ‘early investigative advice’ to help determine what evidence is required for a charge. 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> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer grouped question UIN 266095 266096 question first answered 26/06/2019 10:24:58 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer attachment 1 file name 266094, 266095 and 266096 - Annex A.docx title Annex A
	tabling member	400 label Biography information for John Healey

1132831

	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	Prosecutions: South Yorkshire
	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 the date of an offence to a decision to charge and individual for summary offences in South Yorkshire in each year since 2010 was.
	tabling member constituency	Wentworth and Dearne
	tabling member printed	John Healey
	uin	266095
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/06/2019 answer text <p>The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) works closely with the Police to ensure that cases are thoroughly investigated before charges are brought. There has been an increase in the complexity of cases investigated by the police, with investigations often involving 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 impacts on the average number of consultations and length of time taken for prosecutors to reach a charging decision.</p><p> </p><p>The CPS does not maintain a record of the average number of days taken from offence through to a decision to charge. However, data is held on the average number of days from submission of a case by the police to the CPS to the date of the CPS decision to charge.</p><p> </p><p>Data relating to to all cases in South Yorkshire, summary only cases in South Yorkshire, and indictable only cases in South Yorkshire is shown in Annex A.</p><p> </p><p>The data in Annex A relating to summary only cases provides figures for only a minority of summary only cases. This is because the CPS is only responsible for charging a small minority of summary only matters, with the majority charged by the police. In 2017-18 the police charged 75% of all summary only matters with only 25% charged by CPS, while for indicatable only offences the CPS charged 95% of these cases.</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 2010/11. Police are now more regularly encouraged to seek ‘early investigative advice’ to help determine what evidence is required for a charge. 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> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer grouped question UIN 266094 266096 question first answered 26/06/2019 10:24:58 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer attachment 1 file name 266094, 266095 and 266096 - Annex A.docx title Annex A
	tabling member	400 label Biography information for John Healey

1132834

	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	Prosecutions: South Yorkshire
	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 the date of an offence to a decision to charge an individual for an indictable offence in South Yorkshire in each year since 2010 was.
	tabling member constituency	Wentworth and Dearne
	tabling member printed	John Healey
	uin	266096
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/06/2019 answer text <p>The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) works closely with the Police to ensure that cases are thoroughly investigated before charges are brought. There has been an increase in the complexity of cases investigated by the police, with investigations often involving 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 impacts on the average number of consultations and length of time taken for prosecutors to reach a charging decision.</p><p> </p><p>The CPS does not maintain a record of the average number of days taken from offence through to a decision to charge. However, data is held on the average number of days from submission of a case by the police to the CPS to the date of the CPS decision to charge.</p><p> </p><p>Data relating to to all cases in South Yorkshire, summary only cases in South Yorkshire, and indictable only cases in South Yorkshire is shown in Annex A.</p><p> </p><p>The data in Annex A relating to summary only cases provides figures for only a minority of summary only cases. This is because the CPS is only responsible for charging a small minority of summary only matters, with the majority charged by the police. In 2017-18 the police charged 75% of all summary only matters with only 25% charged by CPS, while for indicatable only offences the CPS charged 95% of these cases.</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 2010/11. Police are now more regularly encouraged to seek ‘early investigative advice’ to help determine what evidence is required for a charge. 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> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer grouped question UIN 266094 266095 question first answered 26/06/2019 10:24:58 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer attachment 1 file name 266094, 266095 and 266096 - Annex A.docx title Annex A
	tabling member	400 label Biography information for John Healey

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

1133329

	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	Sexual Offences
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, whether he has had discussions with the CPS on removing reference to the merits-based approach from (a) guidance and (b) training materials on rape and sexual offences.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	266818
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2019 answer text <p>Rape and serious sexual offences are horrific crimes and can have a devastating impact on victims, and the CPS will always seek to prosecute where there is sufficient evidence to do so. The Attorney General and I regularly discuss issues related to rape and sexual offences with the CPS; however, charging decisions are made independently by the CPS.</p><p> </p><p>There has been no change in policy in how the CPS makes charging decisions in rape cases. Prosecutors in the CPS follow a ‘Code’, which sets out a well-established two stage test that a case must pass before a charge can be made. The first stage of this test is the evidential stage, which considers whether there is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction against each suspect on each charge. That test has remained and continues to remain the same. It applies to every single offence no matter how minor or serious.</p><p> </p><p>The Code that prosecutors follow has never included any specific reference to a merits-based assessment of the realistic prospect of conviction because it is an integral part of the evidential test. The second stage of the test is whether it is in the public interest to proceed with a prosecution, this is considered after the evidential stage is fulfilled.</p><p> </p><p>From 2009, DPP guidance included reference to a merits based approach.</p><p> </p><p>Following an inspection by HMCPSI in 2016, it became clear that including a separate reference to the merits based approach in the guidance was causing confusion leading to the incorrect application of the code test. To avoid this confusion, changes were made to the guidance provided by the DPP to prosecutors, including removing a document on the merits based approach.</p><p> </p><p>Those changes should not have, and did not have any impact on the proper application of the Code test that prosecutors follow when making a decision on whether to charge.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 28/06/2019 12:06:30 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon