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<p>David Spicer’s comprehensive review sheds light on abhorrent child sexual exploitation
and I have not taken this matter lightly. The Home Office will be writing to you on
behalf of the Government shortly.</p><p> </p><p>I would like to reassure you that
the CPS, along with the wider Government, is committed to improving the national response
to tackling sexual exploitation. The CPS will be considering its guidance on the involvement
of the Service with the changing local safeguarding arrangements in line with the
broader recommendations. Specifically, CPS North East is working closely with Newcastle
Crown Court and other partners within the Criminal Justice System to improve the experience
of victims and witnesses when attending court and to ensure that the commitments to
witness care set out in the Victim’s Code and the Witness Charter are properly delivered.</p><p>
</p><p>More broadly, the Government has already taken significant action to tackle
this issue. In February 2017, the Government published its Tackling Child Sexual Exploitation:
Progress Report and announced a £40m package of measures to protect children and young
people from sexual abuse, exploitation and trafficking, and to crack down on offenders.
This included £7.5m for a new, ground-breaking Centre of Expertise that will identify,
generate, and share high quality evidence of what works to prevent and tackle child
sexual abuse and exploitation. The recommendations of the review cover a wide range
of issues, which we will consider carefully in the context of this existing programme
of work.</p><p> </p>
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