"Yes, it does. The noble Lord’s points about the attitudes of young people are well known and deeply concerning, and they certainly need to be addressed through relationship and sex education. But it is not just young people: I make the fairly obvious point that we are particularly concerned about …..." Lord Lemos - View Speech
"I thank the noble and learned Lord for that question. As he says, we will debate it next week. But the principles he sets out are of course the right ones, and I agree with him. I have actually read the Judicial College’s Crown Court Compendium on this subject, and …..." Lord Lemos - View Speech
"I think I have made it clear, but I am happy to make it clear again, that the principle of judicial independence in these cases—in all cases, indeed—is a fundamental building block of the rule of law. We are not seeking to undermine that in any way. As I have …..." Lord Lemos - View Speech
"I thank the noble Baroness and pay tribute to her for her own work in this area. On what we are doing to support rape victims, we are introducing independent legal advisers for victims of adult rape this year, with £6 million of initial funding over the next two years. …..." Lord Lemos - View Speech
"My noble friend is clearly right that if the experience of being a victim and giving evidence in these cases is so traumatising or retraumatising, one can understand—particularly, as the right reverend Prelate said, in the context of long delays—why victims would find that a really serious problem. As I …..." Lord Lemos - View Speech
"I entirely agree with the right reverend Prelate on the damage that delays, particularly in the Crown Court but also in the magistrates’ courts, do to victims in those circumstances. That is why the Government are legislating in the Courts and Tribunals Bill. It is not a question simply of …..." Lord Lemos - View Speech
"My Lords, your Lordships would not expect me to comment on the Russell Brand case but I will say this: I pay tribute to the courage of the victims in seeing this case brought to justice. On the wider question, judges give a tailored direction to assist the jury where …..." Lord Lemos - View Speech
"My Lords, independent judges already can and do give directions concerning rape myths, based on the specifics of each case. In the Courts and Tribunals Bill, we are taking action to stop rape myths being weaponised in court, ensuring that previous allegations of rape or compensation claim information cannot be …..." Lord Lemos - View Speech
"Yes, I absolutely agree that my noble friend has raised a worthwhile and important debate. At the heart of this is the fact that rape myths are pervasive, widespread and widely damaging in our society. That is what we need to do something about. The Government want to ensure—I am …..." Lord Lemos - View Speech
"The Government support the exercise of independent judicial discretion. We are, as the noble and learned Lord knows, taking measures in the Courts and Tribunals Bill to ensure that evidence in relation to previous sexual behaviour that should be inadmissible is inadmissible. There is also our approach to the relevance …..." Lord Lemos - View Speech