Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Attorney General, what steps he is taking to ensure greater collaboration between the Crown Prosecution Service and the Welsh Government.

1. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) works actively and regularly alongside the Welsh Government on a range of issues of mutual interest, notwithstanding that responsibility for criminal justice is not devolved.

2. Recent examples of cooperation between the CPS and the Welsh Government include the following:

• The CPS has contributed to the development of the Welsh Government’s National Strategy on Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence. The Welsh Government has committed to work with the CPS and other criminal justice agencies to improve the response to those who report domestic abuse and sexual violence. The CPS continues to work with the Welsh Government on the delivery of the strategy.

• The CPS contributed substantially to the establishment of the Hate Crime Criminal Justice Board Cymru and its first chair was the CPS Hate Crime Coordinator. The Board draws together the Welsh Police Forces, and other non-devolved bodies such as the CPS and Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service.

• CPS Cymru-Wales is represented strongly on the Welsh Government’s Wales Anti-Slavery Leadership Group which provides strategic leadership for the delivery of tackling slavery in Wales.

• The CPS is represented on the regional Welsh Government Mental Health and Criminal Justice Boards.

• The CPS has met with representatives of the Counsel General for Wales and has responded to the consultation on developing a Welsh Government Code for Prosecutors.

• The CPS has worked with the Welsh Government and the four Police Forces in Wales to develop a Memorandum of Understanding on Tackling Violence and Aggression Against NHS Wales Staff.

• CPS Cymru-Wales has appointed a senior manager to take lead responsibility for liaison with the Welsh Government to further strengthen relationships.