Oral Answers to Questions

Selaine Saxby Excerpts

Thursday 25th May 2023 Commons Chamber

[The Solicitor General]

I am sorry that the hon. Gentleman does not welcome the strategy. He was calling for it, and the shadow Attorney General, the right hon. Member for Islington South and Finsbury (Emily Thornberry), was calling for it at the last Attorney General questions. We promised that it would be delivered soon—I remember that exchange—and, indeed, it was delivered soon after those questions. He will know that that strategy sits within the Home Office, which is absolutely right, and I will continue to work with the Home Office on the fraud strategy. I am sure he will be pleased, as my right hon. Friend the Member for New Forest West (Sir Desmond Swayne) was, with the written ministerial statement yesterday specifically on the subject of this Question.

[Selaine Saxby (North Devon) (Con)]

6. What steps the Crown Prosecution Service is taking to support the prosecution of domestic abuse cases.

[Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)]

8. What steps the Crown Prosecution Service is taking to support the prosecution of domestic abuse cases.

[The Attorney General (Victoria Prentis)]

We are committed to increasing the volume of prosecutions and supporting more victims of domestic abuse. For example, we have ensured that victims now have much longer to report offences.

[Selaine Saxby]

Can my right hon. and learned Friend outline what is being done to encourage the reporting of rape and sexual assault in rural areas, where victims may be less likely to report these crimes due to distant support services?

[The Attorney General]

My hon. Friend is a great champion for her rural area. She will be pleased to know that, in the south-west England CPS area, we consistently see one of the highest conviction rates for rape and domestic abuse. Her area is covered by Operation Soteria, which is testing new ways of working between the police and the CPS.