Oral Answers to Questions

Laura Pidcock Excerpts

Thursday 14th September 2017 Commons Chamber

[Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North) (Lab)]

7. What discussions he has had with the Crown Prosecution Service on cases involving domestic violence.

[Laura Pidcock (North West Durham) (Lab)]

8. What discussions he has had with the Crown Prosecution Service on cases involving domestic violence

[Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent) (Lab)]

9. What discussions he has had with the Crown Prosecution Service on cases involving domestic violence.

--- Later in debate ---

[The Attorney General]

I will certainly do that. I understand the concern that the hon. Lady has expressed. As she knows, this offence is relatively new, and there have therefore been relatively few cases where it has been deployed. There have been convictions, and the more that there are, the more the signal will be sent that this is the kind of behaviour that will result in criminal action, prosecution, conviction and sentencing. I hope that that will increasingly be the case, but of course it cannot act retrospectively. In relation to the future, we are making good progress.

[Laura Pidcock]

It is apt to say in these questions that our thoughts are with Doreen Lawrence whose son, Stephen Lawrence, would have been 43 yesterday.

An estimated 1.8 million adults aged 16 to 59 were victims of domestic abuse in the year ending March 2016. Will the Attorney General consider whether electronic-only evidence submissions to the CPS is the most effective way of capturing a case and the experience of a victim?

[The Attorney General]

We will always consider ways in which we can capture the evidence from victims, and other witnesses of course, in the most effective way. The hon. Lady will know that some of our recent changes involve the opportunity for particularly vulnerable witnesses to give evidence without being in a courtroom physically and to do so in advance of the rest of the case, so that they can get their part in the case done quickly. We will always look at ways in which we can do that better. It is a crucial part of encouraging people to come forward and report abuse and stick with the purpose and the process of prosecuting those who are responsible.