Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Solicitor General, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of fast-tracking Crown Prosecution Service advice in (a) politically sensitive and (b) time-critical investigations.

It is vital that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which is rightly operationally independent from Government, makes decisions as quickly as possible after a careful consideration of all relevant facts. As Solicitor General, I review and monitor CPS performance including timeliness of charging decisions on a quarterly basis. All prosecution decisions are taken in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors, and the CPS must always aim to make their decisions as quickly and efficiently as possible.

It is right that any case review is undertaken with the utmost care and, whereas some cases may be straightforward, others will have large volumes of evidence that can take time for investigators to identify and gather, often with the support of investigative advice from the prosecutor. That evidence then needs to be reviewed by the prosecutor, often with complex legal issues to resolve. While every case will be different, prosecutors must be even-handed in their approach, and they have a duty to protect the rights of suspects and defendants, while providing the best possible service to victims.

This Government is committed to reducing delays across the system and driving forward wider improvements and efficiencies to improve outcomes and secure swift and effective justice for victims, witnesses, suspects, defendants and the public.