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387767

registered interest
date	06/07/2015
answering body	Attorney General
answering dept id	88
answering dept short name	Attorney General
answering dept sort name	Attorney General
hansard heading	Sentencing: Appeals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Attorney General, on how many occasions his Department has referred a criminal sentence to the Court of Appeal for review because it was felt to be unduly lenient in 2015.
tabling member constituency	Redditch
tabling member printed	Karen Lumley
uin	5701
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/07/2015 answer text <p>In the year to 31<sup>st </sup>December 2014, the Law Officers personally considered 469 cases and referred 128 offenders to the Court of Appeal under the unduly lenient sentence scheme. Leave was granted by the Court in 95% of cases which included some of the most serious violent and sexual offences, including murder, rape and sexual assault.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Attorney General’s Office publishes statistics for unduly lenient sentences at the end of the calendar year. This is to ensure that the figures are released in a consistent format and are accurate and quality assured. Unduly lenient sentences statistics for 2013 and 2014 are published on the Attorney General’s Office website - <a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/attorney-generals-office" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/organisations/attorney-generals-office</a>.</p> answering member constituency Kenilworth and Southam answering member printed Jeremy Wright question first answered 13/07/2015 08:38:15 answering member 1560 label Biography information for Sir Jeremy Wright
tabling member	4023 label Biography information for Karen Lumley

387884

registered interest
date	06/07/2015
answering body	Attorney General
answering dept id	88
answering dept short name	Attorney General
answering dept sort name	Attorney General
hansard heading	Crown Prosecution Service
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Attorney General, if he will review the position of the incumbent Director of Public Prosecutions in view of the recent decision to charge Lord Janner.
tabling member constituency	Rochdale
tabling member printed	Simon Danczuk
uin	5644
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2015 answer text <p><ins class="ministerial">Decisions on whether or not to bring criminal charges are taken by prosecutors who are independent from government and independent from Parliament. I am confident of the independence and the integrity of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Alison Saunders, in making the difficult judgements the job of a prosecutor involves.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The Victims’ Right to Review, which Alison Saunders helped to bring in, allows any victim of crime who is dissatisfied with a decision taken by a prosecutor not to proceed with their case to ask for the decision to be reviewed. This review has operated as it was designed to in the case of Greville Janner.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">We are world leaders in offering that safeguard for victims and since Alison Saunders has been DPP, the CPS has prosecuted and convicted more child sex offenders than ever before.</ins></p><p> </p><p><del class="ministerial">In the year to 31<sup>st </sup>December 2014, the Law Officers personally considered 469 cases and referred 128 offenders to the Court of Appeal under the unduly lenient sentence scheme. Leave was granted by the Court in 95% of cases which included some of the most serious violent and sexual offences, including murder, rape and sexual assault.</del></p><p><br /><del class="ministerial">The Attorney General’s Office publishes statistics for unduly lenient sentences at the end of the calendar year. This is to ensure that the figures are released in a consistent format and are accurate and quality assured. Unduly lenient sentences statistics for 2013 and 2014 are published on the Attorney General’s Office website - <a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/attorney-generals-office" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/organisations/attorney-generals-office</a>. </del></p> answering member constituency Kenilworth and Southam answering member printed Jeremy Wright question first answered 09/07/2015 12:58:22 question first ministerially corrected 09/07/2015 13:24:23 answering member 1560 label Biography information for Sir Jeremy Wright previous answer version 13176 answering member constituency Kenilworth and Southam answering member printed Jeremy Wright answering member 1560 label Biography information for Sir Jeremy Wright
tabling member	4059 label Biography information for Simon Danczuk

387360

registered interest
date	02/07/2015
answering body	Attorney General
answering dept id	88
answering dept short name	Attorney General
answering dept sort name	Attorney General
hansard heading	Attorney General: Freedom of Information
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Attorney General, what instructions have been given to staff in the Law Officers' Departments dealing with freedom of information requests on the application of Freedom of Information Act Awareness Guidance No. 19, issued by the Information Commissioner's Office, in considering whether to apply the exemptions in section 38 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
tabling member constituency	Glenrothes
tabling member printed	Peter Grant
uin	5319
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2015 answer text <p>The information which is available on the use of section 38(1)(a) and 38(1)(b) by the Law Officers Departments is contained in the following table.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="2"><p><strong>Number of occasions Section 38(1)(a) applied</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td><p><strong>Crown Prosecution Service</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014</p></td><td><p>3</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="3"><p><strong>Number of occasions Section 38(1)(b) applied</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td><p><strong>Crown Prosecution Service</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Treasury Solicitors Department</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>More detailed figures for the constituent parts of section 38 are not readily available for the remaining Law Officers Departments, as their systems are not designed to provide a more detailed breakdown than is required for published statistics.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><em>Statistics on the use of Freedom of Information exemptions by the Law Officers Departments are published by the Ministry of Justice (Table 10 of annual reports). They are available here </em><a title="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics" href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics</a><em>. </em></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>These statistics provide the number of times section 38 as a whole has been used by each government department.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>No guidance has been issued to staff on the application of Freedom of Information Act Awareness Guidance No.19, issued by the Information Commissioner's Office, about the application of section 38 of the Act. However, the Ministry of Justice has published its own guidance on the use of this exemption. This is available here: <a title="http://www.justice.gov.uk/information-access-rights/foi-guidance-for-practitioners/exemptions-guidance" href="http://www.justice.gov.uk/information-access-rights/foi-guidance-for-practitioners/exemptions-guidance" target="_blank">http://www.justice.gov.uk/information-access-rights/foi-guidance-for-practitioners/exemptions-guidance</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland grouped question UIN 5277 5298 question first answered 08/07/2015 10:10:07 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
tabling member	4466 label Biography information for Peter Grant

387361

registered interest
date	02/07/2015
answering body	Attorney General
answering dept id	88
answering dept short name	Attorney General
answering dept sort name	Attorney General
hansard heading	Attorney General: Freedom of Information
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Attorney General, on how many occasions the Law Officers' Departments applied the exemption in section 38(1)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (disclosure likely to endanger the physical or mental health of any individual) in wholly or partly refusing a freedom of information request in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Glenrothes
tabling member printed	Peter Grant
uin	5277
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2015 answer text <p>The information which is available on the use of section 38(1)(a) and 38(1)(b) by the Law Officers Departments is contained in the following table.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="2"><p><strong>Number of occasions Section 38(1)(a) applied</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td><p><strong>Crown Prosecution Service</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014</p></td><td><p>3</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="3"><p><strong>Number of occasions Section 38(1)(b) applied</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td><p><strong>Crown Prosecution Service</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Treasury Solicitors Department</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>More detailed figures for the constituent parts of section 38 are not readily available for the remaining Law Officers Departments, as their systems are not designed to provide a more detailed breakdown than is required for published statistics.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><em>Statistics on the use of Freedom of Information exemptions by the Law Officers Departments are published by the Ministry of Justice (Table 10 of annual reports). They are available here </em><a title="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics" href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics</a><em>. </em></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>These statistics provide the number of times section 38 as a whole has been used by each government department.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>No guidance has been issued to staff on the application of Freedom of Information Act Awareness Guidance No.19, issued by the Information Commissioner's Office, about the application of section 38 of the Act. However, the Ministry of Justice has published its own guidance on the use of this exemption. This is available here: <a title="http://www.justice.gov.uk/information-access-rights/foi-guidance-for-practitioners/exemptions-guidance" href="http://www.justice.gov.uk/information-access-rights/foi-guidance-for-practitioners/exemptions-guidance" target="_blank">http://www.justice.gov.uk/information-access-rights/foi-guidance-for-practitioners/exemptions-guidance</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland grouped question UIN 5298 5319 question first answered 08/07/2015 10:10:08 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
tabling member	4466 label Biography information for Peter Grant

387362

registered interest
date	02/07/2015
answering body	Attorney General
answering dept id	88
answering dept short name	Attorney General
answering dept sort name	Attorney General
hansard heading	Attorney General: Freedom of Information
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Attorney General, on how many occasions the Law Officers' Departments applied the exemption in section 38(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (disclosure likely to endanger the safety of any individual) in wholly or partly refusing a freedom of information request in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Glenrothes
tabling member printed	Peter Grant
uin	5298
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2015 answer text <p>The information which is available on the use of section 38(1)(a) and 38(1)(b) by the Law Officers Departments is contained in the following table.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="2"><p><strong>Number of occasions Section 38(1)(a) applied</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td><p><strong>Crown Prosecution Service</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014</p></td><td><p>3</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="3"><p><strong>Number of occasions Section 38(1)(b) applied</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td><p><strong>Crown Prosecution Service</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Treasury Solicitors Department</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>More detailed figures for the constituent parts of section 38 are not readily available for the remaining Law Officers Departments, as their systems are not designed to provide a more detailed breakdown than is required for published statistics.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><em>Statistics on the use of Freedom of Information exemptions by the Law Officers Departments are published by the Ministry of Justice (Table 10 of annual reports). They are available here </em><a title="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics" href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics</a><em>. </em></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>These statistics provide the number of times section 38 as a whole has been used by each government department.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>No guidance has been issued to staff on the application of Freedom of Information Act Awareness Guidance No.19, issued by the Information Commissioner's Office, about the application of section 38 of the Act. However, the Ministry of Justice has published its own guidance on the use of this exemption. This is available here: <a title="http://www.justice.gov.uk/information-access-rights/foi-guidance-for-practitioners/exemptions-guidance" href="http://www.justice.gov.uk/information-access-rights/foi-guidance-for-practitioners/exemptions-guidance" target="_blank">http://www.justice.gov.uk/information-access-rights/foi-guidance-for-practitioners/exemptions-guidance</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland grouped question UIN 5277 5319 question first answered 08/07/2015 10:10:08 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
tabling member	4466 label Biography information for Peter Grant

386497

registered interest
date	30/06/2015
answering body	Attorney General
answering dept id	88
answering dept short name	Attorney General
answering dept sort name	Attorney General
hansard heading	Radicalism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Attorney General, what steps the CPS is taking to ensure the effective prosecution of British nationals inciting extremism.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	4897
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2015 answer text <p>Prosecutions for offences of stirring up racial and religious hatred and hatred based upon sexual orientation can only be brought with the consent of one of the Law Officers.</p><p>All cases where terrorism-related or incitement to hatred offences are being considered are dealt with by Specialist Prosecutors in the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division to ensure a consistent approach. The CPS has also established a network of Hate Crime Coordinators to ensure that good practice and innovation is shared, produced a Hate Crime Strategy for 2014-17 and issued internal guidance to prosecutors setting out its approach to those involved in committing acts of violent extremism and inciting racial and religious hatred and hatred based upon sexual orientation.</p><p>Since 2006 27 defendants have been successfully prosecuted under the Public Order Act 1986 for offences related to inciting racial, religious or sexual hatred. In addition to this since ISIL was made a proscribed organisation in June 2014 6 individuals have been successfully prosecuted under the terrorism Act 2006 for inciting or promoting terrorist activities.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 08/07/2015 13:58:16 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

386199

registered interest
date	29/06/2015
answering body	Attorney General
answering dept id	88
answering dept short name	Attorney General
answering dept sort name	Attorney General
hansard heading	Director of Public Prosecutions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Attorney General, if he will make it his policy to enable a Select Committee to hold a confirmation hearings for the post of Director of Public Prosecutions.
tabling member constituency	Clacton
tabling member printed	Mr Douglas Carswell
uin	4608
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/07/2015 answer text <blockquote><p> </p><p>The post of Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is a Civil Service appointment. The process is conducted by the independent Civil Service Commission in line with statute and the Government has no plans to change this. The Commission appoints a panel to carry out the process. In recent competitions, the panel has consisted of the Cabinet Secretary, a senior Civil Service Commissioner, a non-executive director from the relevant department and an external stakeholder - which in the case of the DPP might be a Court of Appeal judge.</p><p> </p></blockquote> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 07/07/2015 11:00:36 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
tabling member	1527 label Biography information for Mr Douglas Carswell

386200

registered interest
date	29/06/2015
answering body	Attorney General
answering dept id	88
answering dept short name	Attorney General
answering dept sort name	Attorney General
hansard heading	Crime: Victims
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Attorney General, what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) victim impact statements and (b) compensation claims are made when cases are brought to court in (i) Northamptonshire and (ii) the UK.
tabling member constituency	Kettering
tabling member printed	Mr Philip Hollobone
uin	4706
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2015 answer text <p><strong> </strong>a) Under the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime (Victims’ Code), victims are entitled to make a Victim Personal Statement (VPS), (sometimes referred to as a ‘victim impact statement’). When the Code came in to force in December 2013 the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) issued operational guidance to support prosecutors in meeting their commitments. More recently, a national cross-agency protocol setting out the working arrangements for the reading of the VPS in criminal proceedings has been implemented (the CPS is a signatory).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>b) The CPS has issued legal guidance on the role of the prosecutor to assist the court in the sentencing process by making it aware of all relevant information. This includes drawing the court’s attention to its powers to award compensation and inviting them to make such an order where appropriate.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Northamptonshire is part of the CPS East Midlands Area and the Area applies the national guidance which has been issued both in respect of the VPS and also compensation claims.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 02/07/2015 10:59:22 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
tabling member	1537 label Biography information for Mr Philip Hollobone

386290

registered interest
date	29/06/2015
answering body	Attorney General
answering dept id	88
answering dept short name	Attorney General
answering dept sort name	Attorney General
hansard heading	Sexual Offences: Prosecutions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Attorney General, how many sexual offences leading to prosecution there have been in (a) North Wales and (b) the UK in each of the last 10 years.
tabling member constituency	Wrexham
tabling member printed	Ian C. Lucas
uin	4589
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/07/2015 answer text <p>The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains a central record of the number of defendants whose prosecution was completed and where the principal offence at finalisation is categorised as a sexual offence.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>During each of the last ten years the number of defendants prosecuted, in (a) North Wales and (b) England &amp; Wales, whose principal offence was identified as a sexual offence, is as follows:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td><p><strong>North Wales</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>England &amp; Wales</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2005-2006</strong></p></td><td><p>113</p></td><td><p>11,481</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2006-2007</strong></p></td><td><p>118</p></td><td><p>11,129</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2007-2008</strong></p></td><td><p>106</p></td><td><p>11,099</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2008-2009</strong></p></td><td><p>125</p></td><td><p>10,878</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2009-2010</strong></p></td><td><p>99</p></td><td><p>11,174</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2010-2011</strong></p></td><td><p>162</p></td><td><p>12,472</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2011-2012</strong></p></td><td><p>125</p></td><td><p>11,735</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2012-2013</strong></p></td><td><p>124</p></td><td><p>11,002</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2013-2014</strong></p></td><td><p>145</p></td><td><p>12,040</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2014-2015</strong></p></td><td><p>225</p></td><td><p>13,778</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><p>Data Source: CPS Case Management Information System</p></td><td> </td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It is not possible to disaggregate figures to show separately the volume and outcome of proceedings for individual offences within the Sexual Offences Category. A single defendant may be charged with more than one offence.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 06/07/2015 13:35:26 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
tabling member	1470 label Biography information for Ian C. Lucas

387146

registered interest
date	29/06/2015
answering body	Attorney General
answering dept id	88
answering dept short name	Attorney General
answering dept sort name	Attorney General
hansard heading	Sentencing: Appeals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Attorney General, On how many occasions the Law Officers have referred a criminal sentence to the Court of Appeal for review because it was felt to be unduly lenient in the last 12 months.
tabling member constituency	Havant
tabling member printed	Mr Alan Mak
uin	900710
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2015 answer text <p>In the year to 31<sup>st </sup>December 2014, the Law Officers personally considered 469 cases and referred 128 offenders to the Court of Appeal under the unduly lenient sentence scheme. Leave was granted by the Court in 95% of cases which included some of the most serious violent and sexual offences, including murder, rape and sexual assault.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 02/07/2015 12:07:01 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
tabling member	4484 label Biography information for Alan Mak