Oral Answers to Questions

Bayo Alaba Excerpts

Thursday 4th September 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Solicitor General]

Unfortunately, my hon. Friend accurately describes the years of neglect of the justice system under the previous Government. She asks specifically about the Legal Aid Agency. The Government took immediate action to bolster the security of the agency’s systems and an injunction was put in place to prohibit the sharing of any breached data. We have put in place contingency plans to ensure that those most in need of legal support can continue to access the help that they need, and we are working at pace to restore services quickly and safely.

[Mr Bayo Alaba (Southend East and Rochford) (Lab)]

4. What steps she has taken with the Crown Prosecution Service to support victims of crime.

[Pam Cox (Colchester) (Lab)]

7. What steps she has taken with the Crown Prosecution Service to support victims of crime. [R]

[The Solicitor General]

This Government are committed to restoring confidence in the criminal justice system, which means ensuring that victims of crime are properly supported through the justice process. The CPS is taking a range of measures to better support victims, including by offering pre-trial meetings to adult victims of rape and serious sexual assault, recruiting victim liaison officers to act as a consistent point of contact for victims, and delivering the groundbreaking victim transformation programme.

[Mr Alaba]

Earlier this year, I visited Southend-on-Sea Rape Crisis centre, where we discussed how extended court delays put pressure on the third sector organisations that provide this vital support. Under the previous Government, the total backlog of all court cases soared, with 73,000 victims left waiting years for their day in court. Now, we finally have a Government who are putting victims first. Our Labour Government have allocated the highest number of sitting days on record. How is the CPS playing its role in getting quicker justice for victims?

[The Solicitor General]

My hon. Friend rightly highlights the necessary and important action that this Government are taking to address the crisis in our courts. Alongside that, the CPS is using every tool at its disposal to reduce the backlog, including by trialling new initiatives to expedite domestic abuse trials and weekly listing meetings with partners in the criminal justice system.