Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Attorney General

Oral Answers to Questions

Daniel Zeichner Excerpts
Wednesday 7th December 2022

(1 year, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Michael Tomlinson Portrait The Solicitor General
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I disagree with the hon. Gentleman’s last two points. We all want to see the backlog reduced as quickly as possible, and the Ministry of Justice is leading the development of a cross-Government Crown court recovery plan. It is through, for instance, technology, sentencing blitzes and pre-trial case resolution hearings that we can help to reduce the backlog.

Daniel Zeichner Portrait Daniel Zeichner (Cambridge) (Lab)
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The police in Cambridge have raised with me the time that they spend on preparing cases for the CPS, but it has also been suggested that simple tweaks to data protection laws and the information recorded on the Registry of Judgments, Orders and Fines could make a real difference. Has the Attorney General considered any of these simple steps?

Michael Tomlinson Portrait The Solicitor General
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I have had several meetings with both the CPS and the police. It is important for them to work together. When it comes to, for example, prosecutions for rape and serious sexual offences, it is important for early advice to be sought and for co-operation to be seen between the police and the CPS. As for disclosure issues more widely, the Attorney General and I are looking at those very closely.