Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Attorney General, what steps he is taking with regional police forces to help secure convictions.

In England and Wales the CPS decides which cases should be prosecuted, and then prepares and presents them at court. Decisions are made in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors which requires both an evidential and public interest test to be met before a prosecution can proceed.

The CPS will advise the police and other investigators about possible lines of inquiry and evidential requirements, and assist with pre-charge procedures. The CPS and police hold joint Prosecution Team Performance Meetings where performance, including conviction rates, are discussed and monitored. Local plans are put in place, where appropriate, to improve the outcomes of cases that are charged and prosecuted.

In large-scale investigations, the prosecutor may be asked to advise on the overall investigation strategy, to assist the police and other investigators to enable them to complete the investigation within a reasonable period of time and to build the most effective prosecution case. However, prosecutors cannot direct the police or other investigators.