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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

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

1133385

	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: Prosecutions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, how many Rape and Serious Sexual Offences prosecutors have been available to make Crown Prosecution Service charging decisions in each year since 2015.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Heeley
	tabling member printed	Louise Haigh
	uin	266849
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2019 answer text <p>Rape and serious sexual assault offence (RASSO) cases are among the most sensitive and complex cases prosecuted by the CPS, and they have a profound impact on victims. To address this, CPS has undertaken extensive work over the last decade to ensure that specialist prosecutors are fully equipped to deal with the particular complexities of rape cases.</p><p> </p><p>The vast majority of RASSO cases are handled by specialist prosecutors working in either dedicated Area RASSO units or the dedicated CPS charging service CPS Direct. The first dedicated Area RASSO Units were established in 2014. The number of RASSO unit prosecutors and CPS Direct Prosecutors is displayed at Annex A.</p><p> </p><p>A small number of rape and serious sexual offence cases are dealt with by RASSO trained specialist prosecutors in the Central Casework Divisions (CCDs). It is not possible to provide year on year numbers of RASSO trained specialist prosecutors in the CCDs.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 24/06/2019 16:50:29 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer attachment 1 file name 266849 - Annex A.docx title Annex A
	tabling member	4473 label Biography information for Louise Haigh

1133386

	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: Prosecutions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, how many and what proportion of rape and serious sexual offence cases did not result in CPS charging advice (a) within 28 days, (b) within 2 months, (c) within 3 months, (d) within 4 months, (e) within 5 months, (f) in over 6 months and (g) in over 12 months of being referred to the CPS by the police in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Heeley
	tabling member printed	Louise Haigh
	uin	266850
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2019 answer text <p>Rape and serious sexual offences are devastating crimes that have a profound impact on victims. Cases involving rape and serious sexual offences are some of the most challenging and complex cases that the CPS deals with. They involve very little corroborative evidence in comparison with other cases which can result in them taking longer to progress through the system. Where evidence submitted by the Police is sufficient to bring charges, the CPS will not hesitate to prosecute. 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>The CPS does not maintain a record of the number of days between referral and a non-charging outcome. However, the CPS does maintain a record of the average number of days taken from referral through to a decision to charge, and this data can be found in answer 266848.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 24/06/2019 16:52:12 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	4473 label Biography information for Louise Haigh

1133165

	registered interest
	date	19/06/2019
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Antisocial Behaviour: North West
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many reports of anti-social behaviour have been recorded in (a) Cumbria Constabulary, (b) Lancashire Constabulary and (c) Merseyside Constabulary in the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Preston
	tabling member printed	Sir Mark Hendrick
	uin	266719
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 27/06/2019 09:56:04 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster attachment 1 file name PQ 266719.pdf title UKSA Response
	tabling member	473 label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick

1133182

	registered interest
	date	19/06/2019
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Cabinet Office: Public Appointments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to appoint a chief data officer.
	tabling member constituency	Leigh
	tabling member printed	Jo Platt
	uin	266866
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2019 answer text <p>I refer the Honourable Member to my answer given to Question 255390 on 21 May 2019.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hertsmere answering member printed Oliver Dowden question first answered 24/06/2019 14:36:24 answering member 4441 label Biography information for Oliver Dowden
	tabling member	4673 label Biography information for Jo Platt

1133188

	registered interest
	date	19/06/2019
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Civil Servants
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many civil servants are working on contingency planning in the event that the UK leaves the EU on 31 October 2019 without a negotiated deal; which Departments those civil servants are employed by; how many have been seconded to work on contingency planning in Departments which are not their principal employer; and how many civil servants were working on such plans in each month since January 2019.
	tabling member constituency	Wolverhampton North East
	tabling member printed	Emma Reynolds
	uin	266734
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2019 answer text <p>Cabinet Office does not hold this information centrally.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 24/06/2019 17:14:06 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
	tabling member	4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds

1133238

	registered interest
	date	19/06/2019
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Bloody Sunday Tribunal of Inquiry
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what (a) meetings, (b) correspondence and (c) other communication occurred between former Prime Minister Tony Blair and Baron Saville of Newdigate (i) before, (ii) during and (iii) after the Saville Inquiry into Bloody Sunday.
	tabling member constituency	Belfast East
	tabling member printed	Gavin Robinson
	uin	266760
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>Information about correspondence and other communication between Mr Blair (as Prime Minister) and Lord Saville (as Head of the Inquiry) is not readily available. The information is contained in paper records of the Inquiry for a 12-year period and records of the Prime Minister's Office covering a 10-year period. For this reason an answer could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 27/06/2019 10:31:53 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
	tabling member	4360 label Biography information for Gavin Robinson

1133264

	registered interest
	date	19/06/2019
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Political Parties: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reason the Government has not issued a commencement order for Section 10 of the Political Parties Act 2009, in relation to non-resident donors.
	tabling member constituency	Hemsworth
	tabling member printed	Jon Trickett
	uin	266672
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2019 answer text <p>Successive Governments have considered section 10 of the Political Parties and Elections Act 2009 to be unworkable</p><p>There is already a robust legal framework in place to ensure only individuals that are registered on the electoral register and organisations that carry out business in the UK can<br>make donations to political organisations in the UK</p><p>In May this year, the Government announced it will consult on strengthening the current provisions which protect UK politics from foreign influence. The consultation may consider<br>recommendations on foreign spending in elections and donations from shell companies.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 24/06/2019 16:25:16 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	410 label Biography information for Jon Trickett

1133265

	registered interest
	date	19/06/2019
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Kier Group: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent discussions his Department has had with Kier on the financial situation of that company.
	tabling member constituency	Hemsworth
	tabling member printed	Jon Trickett
	uin	266673
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2019 answer text <p>We remain in close communication with Kier’s management and will continue to discuss their proposed strategy. We continue to monitor the financial health of all of our strategic suppliers, including Kier. Kier has a large number of contracts across the private and public sector and we are confident they can continue to deliver quality public services.<br /><del class="ministerial">Kier has a large number of contracts across the private and public sector and we are confident they can continue to deliver quality public services.</del></p> answering member constituency Hertsmere answering member printed Oliver Dowden question first answered 24/06/2019 14:39:34 question first ministerially corrected 25/06/2019 10:45:39 answering member 4441 label Biography information for Oliver Dowden previous answer version 124694 answering member constituency Hertsmere answering member printed Oliver Dowden answering member 4441 label Biography information for Oliver Dowden
	tabling member	410 label Biography information for Jon Trickett