Source · Select Committees · Home Affairs Committee
Recommendation 25
25
Accepted
Paragraph: 141
Require police and CPS to publish analysed data on Victims' Right to Review Scheme.
Recommendation
Given some victims and survivors’ negative experiences of the Victims’ Right to Review Scheme, we agree with Rape Crisis England and Wales that the Government require the police and the CPS to publish data covering how many cases are submitted for review, how many decisions are upheld and how many reconsidered, and the reasons for these review decisions. This data should be analysed by gender, case type, ethnicity and other factors, enabling the system to become more open. The Government should take this step as part of its work on the upcoming Victims’ Bill.
Government Response Summary
The CPS already publishes annual data on VRR receipts and outcomes broken down by principal offence category. They are working to enhance VRR data and plan to publish it more frequently in the next financial year, but do not specifically commit to all requested breakdowns like gender, ethnicity, or reasons for review decisions.
Paragraph Reference:
141
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The Victims’ Right to Review (VRR) Scheme, provides victims the opportunity to have their case reviewed, when a ‘qualifying decision’ is made. Where a complainant requests a VRR, the outcome is either that a decision is overturned and a prosecution brought, or, where the Code Test is not met, a letter setting out our full reasons is sent to the complainant. If they believe the decision is unlawful or unreasonable, it is open for them to judicially review the decision. The CPS strongly believes in transparency and accountability and understands the interest in this area of its work and supporting data. The CPS already publishes annual data on VRR receipts and outcomes on the CPS website, with the 2020/21 data published at the end of May 2022. This data covers the number of requests received, and the number of decisions overturned as a result of the VRR scheme. This is broken down by principal offence category. The CPS is also working to enhance its VRR data and plans to publish this on a more frequent basis in the next financial year. In addition to the annual data, the VRR presents an opportunity for internal learning and analysis, with quarterly internal reports produced that cover all cases overturned by the Appeals and Review Unit (Stage Two appeals). Specific reports have also recently been produced setting out common themes and reasons for overturns in rape and serious sexual offence cases, and this information is used to inform the CPS rape and serious sexual offence work programme and staff training.