Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Attorney General, with reference to the HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate's report entitled Charging Inspection 2020, published in September 2020, what steps he is taking to improve communication to victims about the Victims’ Right to Review scheme.

The CPS Victims’ Right to Review (VRR) scheme provides an important safeguard for victims. Following a request for a review, a new prosecutor not previously involved in the original decision will conduct a review of the case. If they decide that the original decision was wrong that decision will be overturned and proceedings reinstituted, where possible.

The HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate’s ‘Charging Inspection 2020’ report notes that in 84.7% of the cases where there was a decision to take no further action that qualified for the VRR scheme, there was enough information for the police to explain the decision to the victim.

The CPS are actively engaged in the development of the revised Victims’ Code which sets out victims’ rights to receive services from Criminal Justice agencies, including information about the VRR scheme. The CPS is committed to delivering its responsibilities under the Code to ensure that victims have the information they need to exercise their right to review CPS decisions.