Oral Answers to Questions

Ben Lake Excerpts

Tuesday 10th November 2026 Commons Chamber

[Catherine McKinnell]

Many discussions are ongoing. Ending rough sleeping and tackling homelessness is a key priority for the Prime Minister, as he has said. Those who are homeless on release from custody have reoffending rates that are nearly double those of people released into accommodation. We are already working on the national plan to end homelessness, but we are working at pace on a cross-Government basis to ensure that we can legislate for a duty to collaborate and that we tackle the scourge that is homelessness both for those leaving prison and re-entering the community and across the board.

[Ben Lake (Ceredigion Preseli) (PC)]

Will the Minister meet me to discuss the possible addition of assault in cases of grievous bodily harm to schedule 5 to the Criminal Justice Act 2003? That seems to be the only pathway to justice for a constituent of mine who, despite being the victim of a brutal attack, saw the case against their alleged assailant withdrawn just days before trial because of the erroneous decision of the Crown Prosecution Service not to offer any evidence in support of prosecution.

[Alex Davies-Jones]

I am so sorry to hear of the situation that the hon. Gentleman’s constituent finds themselves in. I would be delighted to meet him to discuss this issue and to see what more we can do to support victims in that situation.