Domestic Abuse

(asked on 8th November 2023) - View Source

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Crown Prosecution Service carried out an impact assessment with regards to (1) the protected characteristic of sex, and (2) belief in the immutability of sex, before the 2022 revision of its domestic abuse guidance; and if so, whether they will place a copy of this impact assessment in the Library of the House.


Answered by
Lord Stewart of Dirleton Portrait
Lord Stewart of Dirleton
Advocate General for Scotland
This question was answered on 22nd November 2023

In accordance with the Public Sector Equality Duty, under s.149 of the Equality Act 2010, a full Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) was conducted when the Domestic Abuse Prosecution Guidance 2022 was revised in order to appropriately identify and consider its potential impact in terms of equality. It gave due regard to equality considerations for protected characteristics as detailed within the body of s.149.

The EIA for the Domestic Abuse Prosecution Guidance remains under review and has been updated on several occasions since the guidance was published in 2022. The CPS do not intend to place a copy of the EIA in the Library as it is continuously reviewed and updated. A copy of the document as it appeared in 2022 has been provided.

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