Select committee: Home Affairs Committee
Recommendation 5
Eighth Report - Investigation and prosecution of rape
Published 12 Apr 2022
Paragraph 58
Addressed to Home Office
Home Affairs Committee Investigation and prosecution of rape All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
We recommend that if the progress updates demonstrate that the review is not having its intended impact, the Government react quickly and effectively, putting in place alternative actions. In its next progress update, the Government must set out exactly how operational partners will be held to account if there continues to be no significant rise in rape prosecution volumes. We agree with HMICFRS and HMCPSI that the National Criminal Justice Board should review the existing statutory governance arrangements for rape and instigate swift reform. We also recommend that the lead Minister for the Rape Review write to the Committee every six months, so that progress updates can be adequately interrogated.
From: Home Affairs Committee, Eighth Report - Investigation and prosecution of rape (HC 193), paragraph 58, 12 April 2022
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 25 July 2022 (deadline 12 June 2022).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government's response to the Committee's report says it has made "important progress" under its Rape Review Action Plan, and it agrees with some recommendations while stating that others are for Chief Constables, the judiciary or ongoing work to determine.
- On governance, it "welcome[s] and agree[s]" with the recommendation to write to the Committee every six months, in line with the cycle of Rape Review Progress Update publications.
- On specialist police rape teams, it "agrees that specialism is crucial" but says Chief Constables "remain best placed to make decisions about the local deployment of resources".
- On a sexual violence commissioner, it recognises "there may be benefits", says the Home Office and Ministry of Justice are considering the recommendation, and will "update the Committee on progress in due course".
- On Operation Soteria, it commits £5m this year, with a national operating model for rape investigation "by June 2023", though adoption "will be a decision for operationally independent forces".