Oral Answers to Questions

Lord Garnier Excerpts

Tuesday 22nd June 2010 Commons Chamber

[Ian Mearns (Gateshead) (Lab)]

3. If he will take steps to increase the rate of prosecution in cases of domestic violence.

[The Solicitor-General (Mr Edward Garnier)]

May I begin by congratulating the hon. Gentleman on his election?

The Government take domestic violence very seriously. The Law Officers support the work that the Crown Prosecution Service is undertaking to increase the rate of prosecution in such cases. The increase in the provision of specialist domestic violence courts, the training of all CPS prosecutors in domestic violence cases and improvements in support and safety for victims have all led to an increase in the rate of prosecutions leading to a conviction. The CPS works with other agencies to ensure that, where possible, the evidence is available to prosecute such cases effectively.

[Ian Mearns]

Has any additional consideration been given to making special provisions for children where cases of domestic violence occur in settings where children are present or where children are victims or witnesses to acts of violence in their own homes?

[The Solicitor-General]

It is estimated that about 750,000 children witness domestic violence during any given year. Clearly, a great deal needs to be done to ensure not only that those children are protected, but that, if appropriate, they can give evidence in courts in such a way that does not frighten them and that leads to proper convictions being arrived at. The hon. Gentleman makes a good point that will certainly be considered further.

[Mrs Helen Grant (Maidstone and The Weald) (Con)]

What plans does my hon. and learned Friend have for victims who have no recourse to public funds?

[The Solicitor-General]

It depends on what my hon. Friend means by the phrase “recourse to public funds”. A number of victims will be protected or assisted by independent domestic violence advisers. We now have 141 specialist domestic violence courts. As she will know from her private practice as a family lawyer, people can be assisted in a number of ways. The main thing is to ensure that they know what is available and that they can be assisted before, during and after the court hearing.

[Jim Dobbin (Heywood and Middleton) (Lab/Co-op)]

4. What recent discussions he has had with the Director of Public Prosecutions on policy on the prosecution of cases involving allegations of rape.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

5. How long on average it took for the Crown Prosecution Service to decide whether to prosecute in cases referred to it in (a) Northamptonshire and (b) England in the latest period for which figures are available.

[The Solicitor-General]

During the year ending May 2010, the Crown Prosecution Service took an average of 13.6 days to complete a pre-charge decision in Northamptonshire, and 8.1 days in England as a whole.

[Mr Hollobone]

What encouragement and advice can my hon. and learned Friend offer to Northamptonshire CPS so that it improves its performance and gets up to the national average?

[The Solicitor-General]

I have absolutely no doubt that my hon. Friend, who is my parliamentary neighbour, will give his own encouragement to his local CPS. A lot has been done, although a great deal more can be done, and I am sure that, between us, we will keep Northamptonshire CPS up to the mark.

[Keith Vaz (Leicester East) (Lab)]

I welcome the Solicitor-General, who is my near neighbour, to his new post.

When Members of Parliament write to the CPS to make representations on behalf of constituents about cases that it is considering, are there any guidelines on how long it should take the chief Crown prosecutor to write back to them?

[The Solicitor-General]

All letters from Members of Parliament, whether to the headquarters of the Crown Prosecution Service, or to the chief Crown prosecutor for a particular area should be answered speedily. Occasionally, work has to be done to provide a full answer, and I am sure that the right hon. Gentleman, whom I thank for his kind remarks, will understand that it is better to receive a thorough answer a few days late than a half answer on time.

--- Later in debate ---

[Karl Turner (Kingston upon Hull East) (Lab)]

8. What recent representations the Crown Prosecution Service has received on steps to increase the rate of prosecution in cases of domestic violence.

[The Solicitor-General]

Again, I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on his election to the House. Records of representations received by local CPS offices are not kept centrally. I can tell him, however, that the Director of Public Prosecutions has not received any recent representations on steps to increase the rate of prosecutions in cases of domestic violence.

[Karl Turner]

May I ask the Solicitor-General what he proposes to do to build on the success of the Labour Government in tackling domestic violence?

[The Solicitor-General]

That is a wide question that I do not have time to answer, except in an Adjournment debate. As I said in my answers to the hon. Gentleman’s hon. Friends at the beginning of Question Time, the Government take domestic violence every bit as seriously as the previous Government. It is worth noting, however, that the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 included a power to introduce restraining orders. Until I reminded the then Government during the course of debates on the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 of those powers, they did nothing about introducing restraining orders for four or five years. Their record was therefore rather patchy.

The hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission was asked—