Oral Answers to Questions

Simon Hoare Excerpts

Thursday 10th May 2018 Commons Chamber

[The Attorney General]

Yes, and for the reasons that my hon. Friend gives, that is exactly what we should do.

[Simon Hoare (North Dorset) (Con)]

5. What steps the CPS is taking to implement the Government’s plan to tackle hate crime.

[The Solicitor General (Robert Buckland)]

The Crown Prosecution Service continues to play its part in delivering the cross-Government hate crime action plan. In the last year, 14,480 hate crime prosecutions were completed and the conviction rate was 83.4%.

[Simon Hoare]

In thanking my hon. and learned Friend for that answer, may I ask him what steps the CPS is taking to improve prosecution rates for disability hate crimes?

[The Solicitor General]

Disability hate crime has long been a concern of mine, and it is very much the poor relation when it comes to these offences. They are difficult to deal with, because very often victims feel that the incident is part of their normal life and that they should suffer in silence. The message must go out clearly that that should not be the case. I am glad that there has been an increase in prosecutions and an increase in the use of sentencing uplifts, through which judges can increase sentences to reflect aggravating factors such as disability hate.