Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton South)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what steps he is taking to support the investigation of potential Russian war crimes in Ukraine.
Answered by Michael Tomlinson - Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)
The Government is appalled by the atrocities which are being perpetrated by Russian forces in Ukraine. Russia’s invasion has caused widespread devastation, targeted civilians, created mass graves, and used rape and sexual violence as weapons of war. We continue to stand steadfastly should-to-shoulder with Ukraine and remain at the forefront of international efforts to ensure there is no impunity. The Government continues to work closely with Ukraine, including with the Ukrainian Prosecutor General, and other international partners to ensure that evidence of war crimes is collected and preserved. This process is vital to ensuring that perpetrators can be brought to justice. We are also continuing our efforts to ensure accountability for war crimes and atrocities through international judicial bodies, including the International Criminal Court. |
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton South)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what recent assessment he has made of the performance of Serious Fraud Office on complex cases of fraud.
Answered by Michael Tomlinson - Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)
The Law Officers regularly meet the Director of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) and the senior leadership team to discuss the SFO’s progress in tackling the top-level of serious or complex fraud, bribery, and corruption. The SFO is continuing to deliver significant results in cases of complex fraud. The 2022/23 financial year will see the SFO prosecute seven cases in court, five of which involve complex fraud. Three of these trials have already concluded, resulting in four fraudsters being convicted and sentenced to a total of 48 years in prison and justice being delivered to thousands of victims. I have included further details below:
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Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton South)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what recent steps he has taken to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Disclosure.
Answered by Michael Tomlinson - Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)
In May, the Government published the review of disclosure and amended the Disclosure Guidelines to deliver improvements for police prosecutors, and victims of crime.
The new guidelines feature an annex on data protection which will ease the burden on police, leaving them more time on the beat and investigating crime.
Updated principles on accessing third party material have strengthened the protection of victim's personal information and mandate officers to have clear, written reasons in place before accessing any material such as therapy notes.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton South)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the judgment of the Court of Appeal on the Attorney General’s Reference on a Point of Law, No. 1 of 2022 (pursuant to section 36 of the Criminal Justice Act 1972).
Answered by Michael Tomlinson - Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)
On 28 September this year, the Court of Appeal handed down judgment in the Colston statue case, after the then Attorney General asked the Court to clarify a point of law following the acquittal of those who pulled down the statue on 07 June 2020.
The Attorney General welcomes the Court's judgement and is pleased that the law has been clarified. The proper scope of certain defences to criminal damage arising from protests is now clear. While the acquittals in question were not the subject of the challenge, it has now made clear that in future, defendants will not be able to rely on this particular defence in the same way.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton South)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Crown Prosecution Service in prosecuting terrorism offences.
Answered by Michael Tomlinson - Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) works closely with the police to help deliver the Government’s counter-terrorism strategy to ensure we have the best possible response to the threat from all forms of terrorism. Within the CPS, the Counter-Terrorism Division is responsible for prosecuting terrorism cases investigated by the police in England and Wales. The Division is made up of highly specialised prosecutors, including thematic experts, and has a strong record of bringing successful prosecutions in terrorism cases. Prosecutors engage with the police at a very early stage of investigations to provide advice and to help build strong cases, and to assist in identifying criminal justice opportunities to disrupt terrorist-related activity, using terrorism and non-terrorism legislation as appropriate. Recent terrorism statistics published by the Home Office confirm that in the year ending 30 June 2022, 88% of people tried for terrorism-related offences were convicted. |
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton South)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the performance of the Crown Prosecution Service in (a) East of England, (b) London, (c) Cheshire, (d) North East, (e) North West, (f) Thames, (g) East Midlands, (h) West Midlands, (i) Yorkshire and Humber, (j) South West, (k) South East and (l) Wales.
Answered by Michael Tomlinson - Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)
I meet regularly with the Chief Inspector of HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI) to discuss his independent assessments of CPS performance. HMCPSI is currently conducting independent inspections of all 14 CPS Areas in 2021-22 as part of its Area Inspection Programme, which focuses on the quality of magistrates’ court casework, Crown Court casework and rape and serious sexual offences (RASSO) casework. Baseline reports covering the South East, North East, West Midlands, North West, London South, East of England, Yorkshire and Humber, Wessex, London North, South West, Mersey-Cheshire, East Midlands and North West have all been published on the HMCPSI website. The final report on CPS Thames and Chiltern is due to be published soon. All CPS Areas will be subject to follow-up inspections by HMCPSI in due course to evaluate progress made since the baseline report. The CPS makes a public response to all HMCPSI Area inspections, and these are available on the CPS website. Performance data relating to CPS Areas is also available on the CJS Delivery Data Dashboard, which can be found here: Criminal Justice System Delivery Data Dashboard - GOV.UK |
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton South)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what steps the Government is taking to support the Ukrainian Government with (a) investigations and (b) prosecutions of possible Russian war crimes in Ukraine.
Answered by Edward Timpson
The Government is appalled by the atrocities being committed in Ukraine by Russian forces, including the targeting of civilians, mass graves, and rape and sexual violence being used as weapons of war. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine, at the forefront of international efforts to ensure there is no impunity.
The Attorney General has an ongoing and fruitful dialogue with Ukrainian Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova (PG), having signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with her to underline UK support for her Office’s work investigating and prosecuting crimes committed in the course of the conflict and visited the Prosecutor General in Ukraine. The Attorney and former Solicitor General hosted the PG for a two-day visit in London at the end of May. The Attorney has also appointed Sir Howard Morrison QC, one of the UK’s leading war crimes lawyers, to support her directly on her domestic investigations.
The Attorney convened a meeting of the Quintet of Attorneys General from the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, with Prosecutor General Venediktova. Following this meeting, we published a joint statement which makes clear our countries’ support for Ukraine’s domestics war crimes investigations and prosecutions, and our commitment to work together with the Prosecutor General and her Office to ensure every perpetrator faces justice.
The preservation and collection of evidence is vital. The UK, together with the United States and EU, has launched the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group (ACA) to directly support the War Crimes Units of the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine (OPG) in its investigation and prosecution of conflict-related crimes. The ACA seeks to streamline coordination and communication efforts to ensure best practices, avoid duplication of efforts, and encourage the expeditious deployment of financial resources and skilled personnel to respond to the needs of the OPG as the legally constituted authority in Ukraine responsible for dealing with the prosecution of war crimes on its own territory. This shows the Government’s clear commitment to supporting Ukraine in its investigations.
The Metropolitan Police has also set up an online reporting tool for witnesses, including refugees, to submit evidence.
The UK also led the largest group referral made by States Parties to the International Criminal Court (ICC’s) Rome Statute to refer the atrocities in Ukraine to ICC. The ICC Prosecutor, Karim Khan QC, has jurisdiction to prosecute perpetrators for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. We have offered the ICC a comprehensive package of financial and technical support to ensure that leaders under President Putin and those in the field can be held to account for any war crimes in Ukraine.
We will continue to work with Ukraine, partners and international mechanisms in their investigations and to collect and preserve evidence of war crimes in Ukraine. Those responsible will be held to account.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton South)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what steps she has taken to increase the number of prosecutions relating to domestic violence.
Answered by Edward Timpson
Tackling domestic abuse is an important priority for this government. Over 10,900 suspects were charged with DA offences in the last quarter with a conviction rate of over 75% and in the last 5 years, the number of coercive and controlling behaviour cases has increased from 5 to 1,403.
We have continued focus on tackling this heinous crime by introducing non- fatal strangulation offence as part of our landmark Domestic Abuse Act. Those who strangle their partners in an attempt to control or induce fear will face up to 5 years behind bars.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton South)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what recent steps she has taken to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of disclosure.
Answered by Edward Timpson
In May, we published the review of disclosure and amended the Disclosure Guidelines to deliver improvements for police, prosecutors and victims of crime.
The new Guidelines feature an annex on data protection which will ease the burden on police handling digital material, leaving them more time for front line duties and investigating crime.
Updated principles on accessing third party material have strengthened privacy protections for victims and mandate officers to have clear, written reasons in place before accessing any material such as therapy notes.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton South)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Crown Prosecution Service in prosecuting terrorism offences.
Answered by Edward Timpson
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) works closely with the police to help deliver the Government’s counter-terrorism strategy to ensure we have the best possible response to the threat from all forms of terrorism.
Within the CPS, the Counter-Terrorism Division is responsible for prosecuting terrorism cases investigated by the police in England and Wales. The Division is made up of highly specialised prosecutors, including thematic experts, and has a strong record of bringing successful prosecutions in terrorism cases.
Prosecutors engage with the police at a very early stage of investigations to provide advice and to help build strong cases, and to assist in identifying criminal justice opportunities to disrupt terrorist-related activity, using terrorism and non-terrorism legislation as appropriate.
Recent terrorism statistics published by the Home Office confirm that in the year ending 31 March 2022, 90% of people tried for terrorism-related offences were convicted.