To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the percentage cost over-run established by
the management board for any budget in the Attorney General's Office to merit being
tabled at the departmental management board; and how many times in the last 12 months
that has occurred.
<p>The Attorney General's Office (AGO) does not have a cost overrun established by
the management board above which it merits a budget being tabled at departmental Executive
Board. No overruns have been reported to the AGO Executive Board in the last 12 months.</p>
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will instruct the Crown Prosecution Service
to bring prosecutions relating to all cases of female genital mutilation reported
in London since 2009.
<p>The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is committed to tackling cases of female genital
mutilation (FGM), however it can only prosecute cases referred to it by the police
which meet both of the tests outlined in the Code for Crown Prosecutors.</p><p>The
Code sets out a two stage test which must be applied when deciding whether a case
should be prosecuted. The first stage is the evidential test which requires prosecutors
to be satisfied that there is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect
of conviction. If the evidential stage of the test is met prosecutors must then go
on to identify the relevant public interest factors tending for and against the prosecution
in order to form an overall assessment of whether a prosecution is in the public interest.</p><p>
</p>
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there are aware of any plans to bring prosecutions
in respect of the deaths of (1) Azelle Rodney, (2) Jimmy Mubenga, (3) Christopher
Alder, (4) Sean Rigg, (5) Habib Ullah, (6) Ricky Bishop, and (7) Anthony Grainger;
and what assessment they have made of the ability of the Crown Prosecution Service
to pursue prosecutions in cases involving deaths in custody or during police operations.
<p>The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has robust processes for dealing with cases
involving deaths in custody or in contact with police which follow the requirements
of the then Attorney General's "Review of the Role and Practices of the CPS in
Cases Arising from a Death in Custody 2003".</p><p>All death in custody cases
are dealt with by the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division to ensure consistency
of approach and that they are dealt with by lawyers with the necessary skills and
experience. Only very experienced senior lawyers, who are specifically designated,
are permitted to review death in custody cases. The reviews carried out by the senior
lawyer in cases involving deaths in custody are examined by their line manager and
then by the Head of Special Crime & Counter Terrorism Division (or her Deputy).
They are then submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for final approval.
In any case where the decision is not to proceed, unless the DPP is satisfied that
it is "plain beyond doubt" that there is no case to answer, experienced
external counsel will be instructed to advise.</p><p>The status of the specified cases
is as follows:</p><p>(1) Azelle Rodney: Following the publication of the report of
Sir Christopher Holland in relation to his inquiry Mr Rodney's death, the IPCC wrote
to the Director of Public Prosecutions to ask that the CPS review the case. This review
is underway and the CPS is working with the IPCC in order to determine whether any
further investigation is required. Once the CPS is satisfied that it has received
a full file, it will consider whether charges should be brought.</p><p>(2) Jimmy Mubenga:
prosecutions were announced on 20 March 2014.</p><p>(3) Christopher Alder: prosecutions
took place in 2002 – all defendants were acquitted.</p><p>(4) Sean Rigg: The CPS has
provided investigative advice to the IPCCin relation to allegations of perjury. A
charging decision has not been requested.</p><p>(5) Habib Ullah: The CPS has received
a full file and is considering whether charges should be brought.</p><p>(6) Ricky
Bishop: Mr Bishop died in 2001. The case has not been referred to the CPS within the
last 3 years.</p><p>(7) Anthony Grainger: a prosecution was announced on 16 January
2014.</p><p> </p>
