Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what steps she has taken in preparation for a legal challenge by Argentina via the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea regarding the Sea Lion Project in the North Falkland Basin.
Answered by Ellie Reeves - Attorney General
The Law Officers’ Convention applies to advice which may or may not have been given by the Law Officers, or requested of the Law Officers, and the Convention applies to your question.
The Law Officers’ Convention can be found at paragraph 21.27 of Erskine May:
“By long-standing convention, observed by successive Governments, the fact of, and substance of advice from, the law officers of the Crown is not disclosed outside government. This convention is referred to in paragraph [5.14] of the Ministerial Code [updated on 13 October 2025]. The purpose of this convention is to enable the Government to obtain frank and full legal advice in confidence.”
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what redress is available to victims where repeated administrative errors by the Crown Prosecution Service result in a criminal trial being postponed on multiple occasions; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of such delays on access to justice for elderly and seriously ill victims.
Answered by Andy Slaughter - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
Where victims feel dissatisfied with the service provided by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), they can submit a complaint through the CPS complaints procedure. The CPS operates a three stage complaints procedure where complaints relate to the standard of service provided by the CPS. In these cases, the final stage of the complaints process is referral to the Independent Assessor of Complaints (IAC). If the complaint is upheld, the CPS will apologise, and attempt to put the matter right wherever possible, as well as take steps to ensure that it does not happen again. In exceptional cases, where there has been an error on their part and there is clear evidence of uninsured material loss or severe distress caused by maladministration or poor service, a modest consolatory payment may be offered. Following an IAC review, victims who believe the CPS has failed to meet its obligations under the Victims’ Code may ask their MP to refer their complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, which can consider whether any further investigation or redress is required.
Tackling delays in the criminal justice system is an important part of delivering the swift justice that victims and witnesses deserve and improving confidence in the criminal justice system. The CPS is working with criminal justice system partners to reduce inefficiency and avoidable delay in case preparation. On 1 October 2026, a new Practice Direction on Listing in the Criminal Courts came into effect. This requires courts to convene a Case Progression meeting in the third week before a trial is listed, of which the CPS will attend. This aims to ensure issues requiring operational and judicial resolution are addressed early. The CPS is also taking action to improve its service to victims through its Victims Programme.
Asked by: Lord Risby (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask His Majesty's Government what policy they have about the investigation and prosecution of British citizens returning to the UK after having (1) lawfully volunteered or for, or enlisted in, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, or (2) undertaken humanitarian, medical, rescue or other volunteer work in Ukraine.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Cluny - Advocate General for Scotland
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) travel advice to Ukraine states: 'If you travel to Ukraine to fight, or to assist others engaged in the war, your activities may amount to offences under UK legislation. You could be prosecuted on your return to the UK'. Their full advice is available here: Ukraine travel advice.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which acts independently of police and government, will consider any information that is referred by the police and any decision to prosecute will be considered on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.
To date, the CPS has not prosecuted any British citizens for actions carried out whilst volunteering to serve in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Asked by: Lord Risby (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance has been issued to police, prosecutors and border authorities about British citizens returning to the UK after having (1) lawfully volunteered or for, or enlisted in, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, or (2) undertaken humanitarian, medical, rescue or other volunteer work in Ukraine.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Cluny - Advocate General for Scotland
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) travel advice to Ukraine states: 'If you travel to Ukraine to fight, or to assist others engaged in the war, your activities may amount to offences under UK legislation. You could be prosecuted on your return to the UK'. Their full advice is available here: Ukraine travel advice.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which acts independently of police and government, will consider any information that is referred by the police and any decision to prosecute will be considered on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.
To date, the CPS has not prosecuted any British citizens for actions carried out whilst volunteering to serve in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Asked by: Baroness Shawcross-Wolfson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Hermer on 27 April (HL16377), 1 June (HL59), and 1 July (HL58), how many reporting and consultation duties have been identified by the artificial intelligence tool developed by the Cabinet Office and No. 10; how many have subsequently been reviewed by ministers; and how many have been identified for amendment or repeal.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Cluny - Advocate General for Scotland
Using the AI tool, the Cabinet Office has identified approximately 7000 statutory duties to consult. The process of reviewing all 7000 is ongoing.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, pursuant to the answer of 7 July 2026 to Question HL1337 on Anti-Muslim Hostility, in what manner have the (a) Law Officers and (b) Government Legal Department adopted the new definition, and what changes have or are being made to government legal guidance.
Answered by Andy Slaughter - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The Government has adopted its definition of anti-Muslim hostility and will refer to it when developing and revising relevant policy. The Government encourages organisations to use it in ways they consider useful and lawful. The definition is non-statutory and does not alter or replace legal duties or statutory guidance.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hermer on 14 July (HL1910), whether they will now answer the question put, namely what is the evidential basis for the assertion that X prioritises misinformation.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Cluny - Advocate General for Scotland
I would refer the Honourable Lord to Lord Hermer’s previous answer on this topic.
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2026 to Question 4161, on Government departments: marketing, how much has been spent on branded goods and merchandise by (a) the Attorney General’s Office and (b) each of its superintended departments since the Government Chief Commercial Officer letter was sent; on what items, and at what cost.
Answered by Ellie Reeves - Attorney General
The table below contains data for the Attorney General's Office and each of its superintended departments relevant to the question.
Total Spend on branded goods and merchandise
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Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, how many Senior Civil Service away days have taken place in calendar year 2026 to date; in what specific venues across the Attorney General’s Office and each of its superintended departments; at what cost; and if there was any associated social or team-building activity at public expense.
Answered by Ellie Reeves - Attorney General
The Attorney General’s Office and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI) held no Senior Civil Service (SCS) away days in calendar year to date 2026.
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has held two SCS away days, held at the Civil Service Club. The total cost was £1,390.75. There were no associated social or team-building activity at public expense.
The Government Legal Department (GLD) has held two centrally organised SCS away days. They were held at Herbet Smith Freehills Kramer LLP, Exchange House and at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. There were no costs attached for the venue or associated social or team-building activity.
The Crown Prosecution Service has held one SCS away day, at the Manchester Marriott Hotel Picadilly. The total cost of this event was £37,367.60.
Asked by: Baroness Shawcross-Wolfson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether departments are required to record formally how a proposed statutory reporting or consultation requirement has satisfied the Government's “higher bar”; and whether that assessment will be included in explanatory notes or impact assessments accompanying legislation.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Cluny - Advocate General for Scotland
At present there is no intention to require an assessment of statutory reporting or consultation duties in explanatory notes or impact assessments accompanying legislation. Alongside the changes to consultation duties, we will encourage more participatory and collaborative methods to ensure the public's views are meaningfully embedded throughout the policy-making process.