Select committee: Home Affairs Committee
Recommendation 33
Eighth Report - Investigation and prosecution of rape
Published 12 Apr 2022
Paragraph 166
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)
It is evident that even when people’s cases do make it to court, their experience of the trial can be very difficult. We welcome the national roll-out of section 28 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 to intimidated witnesses (victims of adult sexual offences and modern slavery). This will make a significant difference to complainants’ experiences of the criminal justice system. However, we would urge the Government to consider the obstacles to a successful roll-out—for example, the availability of counsel—in consultation with the legal sector, including the judiciary, the Bar Council and the Criminal Bar Association, and the means of overcoming these obstacles. The outcome of this piece of work should be published with the next Rape Review Progress Update.
From: Home Affairs Committee, Eighth Report - Investigation and prosecution of rape (HC 193), paragraph 166, 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".