Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she is taking with the Attorney General to speed up the justice system for victims of domestic violence.

This Government inherited a record and rising court backlogs which have seen too many victims waiting far too long for justice.

We are committed to bearing down on the court backlog to speed up the delivery of justice.

Timely and effective justice is key to increasing the confidence of victims and survivors in the justice system. Strengthening the justice system response to domestic abuse and increasing victim confidence are crucial to achieving this Government’s ambitious commitment to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG) this decade.

The decision on when and where a case is listed is the responsibility of the independent judiciary, although judges do look to prioritise cases involving vulnerable complainants and witnesses, such as victims and survivors of domestic abuse, wherever possible.

In addition, CPS, NPCC and College of Policing’s Joint Justice Plan aims to transform how the police and the CPS investigate and prosecute domestic abuse cases, including a commitment to improve the timelessness and effectiveness of investigating and charging in domestic abuse cases. I look forward to the publication of this plan in November.