Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Valerie Vaz Excerpts
Tuesday 1st March 2011

(13 years, 8 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Dominic Grieve Portrait The Attorney-General
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I entirely agree that costs should normally be sought. Of course there may be instances where that is simply not appropriate, such as where the defendant is destitute or penniless and it is clear that a cost order will serve no purpose—and, indeed, a court is unlikely to make one. Subject to that, however, it is the normal policy that where a conviction is secured, costs are sought.

Valerie Vaz Portrait Valerie Vaz (Walsall South) (Lab)
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3. What plans the Crown Prosecution Service has to improve the effectiveness of prosecution policy in human trafficking cases.

Lord Garnier Portrait The Solicitor-General (Mr Edward Garnier)
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The CPS keeps the effectiveness of prosecution policy and guidance to prosecutors on human trafficking under review, and updates them on a regular basis. The CPS will soon publish a new public policy statement on human trafficking to explain the prosecutor’s role in such cases and the approach taken by the CPS.

Valerie Vaz Portrait Valerie Vaz
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I thank the Solicitor-General for his answer. In June 2010 there were 139 convictions for human trafficking. Will he write to me with an updated figure for such convictions?