Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made (1) to establish specialist courts for fast-tracking rape cases, and (2) to appoint legal advocates to provide free legal advice and support to rape survivors.

This Government has funded a record number of court sitting days, so that prosecutions, including of rape and other sexual offences, can be heard more efficiently. We commissioned Sir Brian Leveson’s Independent Review of the Criminal Courts to improve timeliness for victims, and we continue carefully to consider how we can deliver our manifesto commitment to fast-track rape cases.  Alongside this, judicial initiatives to expedite rape and other sexual offence cases are already taking place at a local level – for example, in Bristol and Guildford, and the judiciary already prioritise cases involving vulnerable victims and witnesses, which will include victims of rape.

The Government also continues work on our manifesto commitment to introduce free independent legal advice for adult rape victims.