Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Suella Braverman and Chris Elmore

Thursday 18th November 2021 Commons Chamber

[Chris Elmore (Ogmore) (Lab)]

1. What steps she is taking to help improve prosecution levels relating to section 24 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.

[The Attorney General (Suella Braverman)]

The recent rise in reports of spiking is incredibly concerning. The Crown Prosecution Service will always treat maliciously administering poison as a high harm offence. In 2020-21, the CPS brought 222 charges under section 24, which was an increase of 22% on the previous year.

[Chris Elmore]

It is truly horrendous to see reports in recent weeks about the huge numbers of people who are being spiked and then unable to find any sort of recourse to the criminal justice system. I am sure the Attorney General agrees with that. Does she further agree that it cannot be right to simply wait for the police to tell the Government how they can improve the levels of prosecution and bring about new charges? It really should be now for the Government to review the legislation to ensure that the victims are able to find redress and that those people who undertake spiking are prosecuted with the full force of the law.