Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what steps she is taking to ensure effective prosecution of fraud and economic crime.
Answered by Michael Tomlinson - Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) continue to play a significant role in bringing fraudsters to justice. In 2021/2022, the CPS prosecuted 7,200 defendants, where Fraud and Forgery was the principal offence and the conviction rate was 84.1%.
In 2022-23 the SFO have successfully prosecuted three fraud cases resulting in four criminals being sentenced to a total of 48 years in prison; and also secured the largest ever corporate confiscation order in the UK against Glencore Energy (UK) Ltd, at £93m.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, whether the CPS plans to issue guidance on the impact of the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2000's provisions on holding a meeting in support of a proscribed organisation on organisations or individuals who hold meetings with members or supporters of Hamas to encourage them to turn away from violence and join peace talks.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
The CPS recognises the vital work undertaken by civil society to provide humanitarian relief and to promote peacebuilding efforts overseas and that this can take place within a backdrop of instability and fluid governance arrangements, including heavily sanctioned countries or in countries/regions where proscribed terrorist groups are active.
While there are no plans to issue guidance covering these specific circumstances, the CPS intends to publish general prosecutorial guidance in 2022 on the interaction between counter terrorism legislation and the work of aid agencies operating overseas that provide humanitarian relief or promote peacebuilding efforts. A draft of the guidance has been prepared and the CPS is currently engaging in wider consultation with HMG colleagues prior to publication.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what proportion of named day written questions were answered by the Law Officers' Departments within the prescribed period in the (a) 2012-13 session, (b) 2013-14 session and (c) 2014-15 session to date.
Answered by Robert Buckland
The information requested is contained in the following table.
Year | Number | Proportion answered on the named day |
2012-13 | 116 | 99% |
2013-14 | 129 | 91% |
2014-15 (To date) | 30 | 90% |
Departmental performance information, for ordinary and named day Parliamentary Questions, is collated by the Office of the Leader of the House of Commons and submitted to the Procedure Committee. This is published on a sessional basis by the committee, and includes evidence regarding departmental performance. The monitoring report relating to the 2012-13 session was published on 13 February 2014 as HC1046. The report covering statistics relating to performance during the 2013-14 session will be published very shortly by the Procedure Committee.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what estimate he has made of the empty property business rates for the vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS database owned by (a) the Law Officers' Departments and (b) any executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies of the Law Officers' Departments in the current financial year.
Answered by Dominic Grieve
The Law Officers' Departments have been actively reducing their estate running costs since 2010 in line with Government policy and have already made significant savings.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) estate rationalisation programme began in 2009 and is set to be completed in 2016, with most of the leases on empty property having expired by then. This programme has already led to a reduction in expenditure and increased efficiency. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has paid £320,178.38 in property business rates in the current financial year on the properties which are currently recorded as vacant on the ePIMS database as at 14 March 2014. The costs figure has been produced by DTZ who are CPS' managing agents and has not yet been audited.
The Treasury Solicitor's Department owns a lease on a building which has some vacant space. This building attracts full business rates in the current financial year. This lease is due to expire in 2016. The estimated business rates for the vacant proportion of the property for 2013/14 are £59 372.71
The remaining Law Officers' Departments do not have any vacant properties.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, when he expects to answer question No. 191801 tabled by the Rt hon. Member for Leeds Central on 12 March 2014.
Answered by Dominic Grieve
I have done so today.