Oral Answers to Questions

Kelvin Hopkins Excerpts

Tuesday 8th July 2014 Commons Chamber

The Attorney-General was asked—

[Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North) (Lab)]

1. What recent discussions he had with the Director of Public Prosecutions about tackling regional variations in conviction rates.

[Roberta Blackman-Woods (City of Durham) (Lab)]

5. What recent discussions he had with the Director of Public Prosecutions about tackling regional variations in conviction rates.

[The Attorney-General (Mr Dominic Grieve)]

The Crown Prosecution Service delivers a reliable and consistent service, achieving an overall conviction rate of 85% or above in each of the past four years. The CPS is introducing new casework quality standards and standard operating procedures to seek to ensure that a consistent approach to quality is adopted across each CPS area.

[Kelvin Hopkins]

I thank the Attorney-General for his answer, but prosecution and conviction rates for rape and other sexual crimes in particular vary widely across the country. What are the Government going to do to seek to ensure that all such crimes are prosecuted and convictions achieved, wherever the crimes occur?

[The Attorney-General]

There are indeed some regional variations, although overall when looked at in the round they are perhaps less significant than might be appreciated. However, the CPS has put a great deal of effort into prioritising cases of violence against women and girls, including rape. I am satisfied that, particularly when one looks at those areas that have had the lowest performances—London is a good example of this—the efforts that have been made recently, particularly by Baljit Ubhey, the new Chief Crown Prosecutor, should, with the reviews that have taken place, lead to significant improvements, and indeed they already have.