Home / Sources / Select Committees / Home Affairs Committee / Investigation and prosecution of rape
Index live
Select Committee · Home Affairs Committee

Investigation and prosecution of rape

Status: Closed Opened: 21 Apr 2021 Closed: 1 Feb 2024 24 recommendations 12 conclusions 1 report

As part of the Committee’s overarching work into violence against women and girls, the Committee wishes to explore the key question of why rape prosecutions are falling. Read the terms of reference for more detail about this work. The Committee is keen to understand from victims and survivors of rape and serious sexual assault what … Show more

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Eighth Report - Investigation and prosecution of rape HC 193 12 Apr 2022 36 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

4 items
2 Conclusion Eighth Report - Investigation and prose… Acknowledged

Government rightly prioritising reversing falling rape prosecutions and restoring public confidence

It is right that the Government is focusing on reversing the falling volumes of prosecutions and restoring people’s confidence in reporting, and we welcome the priority that has been placed on this pressing undertaking through the End-to-End Rape Review. Read more

Government response AI summary
The government is exploring ways to link data across criminal justice agencies, building on a proof-of-concept tool from Avon and Somerset Police and CPS South West. Ministers commit to writing with further detail on these efforts.
Read full response →
Home Office
9 Recommendation Eighth Report - Investigation and prose… Acknowledged

Undertake comprehensive mapping and monitoring of specialist sexual violence and abuse support services

It is essential that the Government and other commissioning bodies have an understanding of the level of need and the current availability of specialist sexual violence and abuse services, including counselling and therapy and the support offered by Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs). As HMICFRS and HMCPSI have done, we … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government stated that data on specialist services is not centrally collated and committed to working to better understand data in this area, providing an update in due course, and also mentioned a new blended learning program for police officers.
Read full response →
Home Office
20 Recommendation Eighth Report - Investigation and prose… Acknowledged

Extend Sexual Violence Complainants’ Advocate Scheme pilot to diverse demographic and geographic areas.

The Government should further pilot the Sexual Violence Complainants’ Advocate Scheme, first offered in Northumbria. This pilot should be extended to areas with differing demographic and geographic profiles. This would empower and support complainants to understand better and deal with requests to access third-party material or data from digital devices. … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government stated it will continue working with partners to understand and identify improvements in sexual violence and abuse services, including considering strengthening counselling and therapy provision, but did not commit to further piloting the Sexual Violence Complainants’ Advocate Scheme.
Read full response →
Home Office
36 Recommendation Eighth Report - Investigation and prose… Acknowledged

Work with judiciary to guarantee fixtures for all rape and serious sexual offence trials.

We urge the Government to work with the judiciary to explore what more could be done to ensure fixtures for all rape and serious sexual offence trials are guaranteed. This would help address the severe delays many complainants and defendants are affected by. (Paragraph 175) Investigation and prosecution of rape … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government is committed to working with the judiciary to reduce delays, noting that judges prioritize vulnerable cases and aim to provide fixed trial dates for serious sex cases wherever possible, while highlighting that case allocation remains a judicial responsibility.
Read full response →
Home Office

Oral evidence sessions

6 sessions
Date Witnesses
15 Dec 2021 Jaee Samant · Home Office, Jerome Glass · Ministry of Justice, Rachel Maclean · Home Office View ↗
13 Dec 2021 Max Hill QC · Crown Prosecution Service View ↗
1 Dec 2021 Derek Sweeting QC · The Bar Council, Ellie Cumbo · The Law Society, Kirsty Brimelow QC · The Criminal Bar Association, Professor Penney Lewis · The Law Commission View ↗
20 Oct 2021 Baroness Stern CBE, David Tucker · College of Policing, Donna Jones, Rt Hon Lady Dorrian, Rt Hon Sir John Gillen, Sarah Crew View ↗
7 Jul 2021 Dr Olivia Smith · Loughborough University, Professor Betsy Stanko OBE · Project Bluestone, Professor Cheryl Thomas · UCL View ↗
23 Jun 2021 Amelia Handy · Rape Crisis England and Wales, Dame Vera Baird QC, Duncan Craig OBE · Survivors Manchester, Ellie Ball · Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre, Emily Hunt, Rosie Lewis · Imkaan View ↗

Who gave evidence

23 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Amelia Handy · Policy Lead Rape Crisis England and Wales 1
Baroness Stern CBE — 1
Dame Vera Baird QC — 1
David Tucker · Faculty Lead on Crime and Criminal Justice College of Policing 1
Derek Sweeting QC · Chair The Bar Council 1
Donna Jones — 1
Dr Olivia Smith · Senior Lecturer in Criminology and Social Policy Loughborough University 1
Duncan Craig OBE · Chief Executive Officer Survivors Manchester 1
Ellie Ball · ISVA Manager, Independent Sexual Violence Advocac… Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre 1
Ellie Cumbo · Head of Public Law The Law Society 1
Emily Hunt — 1
Jaee Samant · Director General, Public Safety Group Home Office 1
Jerome Glass · Director General, Policy and Strategy Group Ministry of Justice 1
Kirsty Brimelow QC · Vice-Chair The Criminal Bar Association 1
Max Hill QC · Director of Public Prosecutions Crown Prosecution Service 1
Professor Betsy Stanko OBE · Academic lead Project Bluestone 1
Professor Cheryl Thomas · Professor of Judicial Studies, Faculty of Laws UCL 1
Professor Penney Lewis · Criminal Law Commissioner The Law Commission 1
Rachel Maclean · Minister for Safeguarding Home Office 1
Rosie Lewis · Head of Policy Imkaan 1
Rt Hon Lady Dorrian — 1
Rt Hon Sir John Gillen — 1
Sarah Crew — 1

Correspondence

10 letters
DateDirectionTitle
7 Sep 2022 From cttee Letter to Minister for Safeguarding on Government consultation on police reque…
7 Sep 2022 To cttee Letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions on the Victims’ Right to Revie…
7 Sep 2022 From cttee Letter to the Director of Public Prosecutions on the Victims’ Right to Review …
7 Sep 2022 To cttee Letter from the Home Secretary and the Deputy Prime Minister on the government…
7 Sep 2022 From cttee Letter to the Home Secretary and the Deputy Prime Minister on the government r…
7 Sep 2022 To cttee Letter from Minister for Safeguarding on Government consultation on police requ…
22 Jun 2022 To cttee Letter from the Minister of State for Justice on improving the criminal justice…
18 May 2022 From cttee Letter to the Home Secretary on the investigation and prosecution of rape, date…
18 May 2022 To cttee Letter from the Home Secretary on the investigation and prosecution of rape, da…
9 Feb 2022 To cttee Letter from the Minister for Safeguarding following her appearance before the C…