Commons
Oral Questions
Solicitor General
9 July 2026
9 contributions
Violence against Women and Girls: Prosecution Rates
This week, I announced the national roll-out of the early victims’ right to review scheme. From Monday, if the Crown Prosecution Service is considering dropping a case, rape and serious sexual assault survivors across England and Wales will have the right for that view to be reviewed by a second ind…
I commend the bravery and courage of my hon. Friend’s constituent in coming forward, and I am very sorry to hear about the additional trauma that they have faced waiting for justice to be served. As well as tackling the backlog to reduce delays, this Government are committed to supporting victims. I…
+7 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Solicitor General
9 July 2026
10 contributions
Jury Trials
Jury trials remain a cornerstone of our justice system, and will always be in place for the most serious crimes. The Government must guarantee everyone a fair trial. Timeliness is essential for fairness, and the fairness of the system is being undermined by the record backlogs in the Crown court, wh…
Leveson in his report stated that investment alone was not enough and that the system needs reforming as well. We have made a record £2.7 billion investment in the courts, which provides for unlimited sitting days, an increase in defence fees, and includes half a billion pounds for victims services.…
+8 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Solicitor General
4 June 2026
3 contributions
Corporate Manslaughter: Prosecution
My hon. Friend has been a tireless campaigner on behalf of the 72 victims of the Grenfell tragedy and their families. My thoughts—and, I am sure, those of the whole House—remain with the bereaved families, survivors and those affected.
Introducing corporate manslaughter legislation was one of the g…
I recognise that all those affected by the Grenfell Tower fire have faced a long and deeply painful wait for answers. Justice needs to be delivered as swiftly as possible. I understand that my colleagues in the Ministry of Justice have been working for months with police, prosecutors and courts to e…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Solicitor General
4 June 2026
2 contributions
Domestic Abuse: Prosecution
Domestic abuse has a significant impact on victims and their families, and those who are brave enough to come forward deserve to have their cases resolved quickly. Earlier this year, as I have set out, I secured additional funding of £5 million, so that victims of domestic abuse in the Crown court g…
I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising that case on behalf of his constituent. He is right to highlight the fact that many people use financial abuse as a form of coercive, controlling behaviour and a form of domestic abuse, and we should call that what it is. I commend the bravery of any victims wh…
Commons
Oral Questions
Solicitor General
4 June 2026
5 contributions
Jury Trials
This Government inherited a justice system in crisis, with a backlog of 80,000 criminal cases in the Crown court. That is why we are investing over £2.5 billion in our courts to fund unlimited sitting days, boost legal aid and, ultimately, speed up justice for victims. Let me be clear: jury trials w…
Access to a jury trial is determined by the seriousness of the alleged offending, not by who the defendant is. As the hon. Gentleman will know, likely sentence is already used to determine court allocation and is a feature of our system. Every defendant in the Crown court will receive a fair trial, …
+3 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Solicitor General
4 June 2026
6 contributions
Violence against Women and Girls
I first pay tribute to former Ministers Jess Phillips and Alex Davies-Jones for all their work to tackle violence against women and girls. At the CPS Crown advocacy conference last month, I highlighted the steps being taken to increase the volume of advocates available to prosecute rape. Since the s…
The CPS has introduced an enhanced service for victims of rape and serious sexual violence. All victims of rape and serious sexual violence are now offered a meeting with the prosecution team before the case gets to trial and are allocated a dedicated victim liaison officer in the CPS to support the…
+4 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Solicitor General
4 June 2026
4 contributions
Victims: Right to Review
The victims’ right to review pilot gives rape victims the opportunity for their case to be reviewed by another lawyer if the Crown Prosecution Service is considering dropping the prosecution. I have personally pushed for its roll-out, as it helps ensure that victims are given fairness and dignity an…
I thank my hon. Friend for his comments and for highlighting the importance of the scheme for victims. We have already seen evidence of cases—which would otherwise have been stopped—continuing because of the pilot scheme. My hon. Friend is right that it is essential that victims are made aware of th…
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Solicitor General
19 March 2026
4 contributions
Violence against Women and Girls: Prosecutions
Today, I can announce an additional £5 million of funding for the CPS, which will be invested to benefit victims of domestic abuse. In three pilot areas, victims will be offered meetings with prosecutors ahead of Crown court trials, ensuring that their voices are heard and better supporting them to …
I know that my hon. Friend is a strong advocate for tackling violence against women and girls, and I am proud of our cross-Government strategy to do just that, which we set out in December. I would be more than happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss these issues in more detail.
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Solicitor General
19 March 2026
3 contributions
Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme
The Law Officers’ power to refer unduly lenient sentences to the Court of Appeal is a powerful way to ensure that justice is achieved in some of the most serious crimes. It gives a voice to victims, their families and the public in the sentencing of cases. Since my appointment as the Solicitor Gener…
I thank my hon. Friend for attending the unduly lenient sentence scheme victims roundtable on Monday evening. I know what a strong advocate she is for her constituent Katie Brett, whose sister Sasha was brutally murdered. Victims and families should always be informed about the scheme, but I know th…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Solicitor General
19 March 2026
11 contributions
Courts and Tribunals Bill
The Government’s reforms will focus on delivering faster and fairer justice for victims. That includes removing the presumption of parental involvement to prioritise what is in the best interests of children after tireless campaigning by Claire Throssell, whose two sons, Jack and Paul, were killed b…
The reforms that the right hon. Gentleman refers to come after Sir Brian Leveson set out a report with 135 recommendations, making it clear that investment in the justice system alone would not solve the backlog left by the previous Conservative Government and that reform is also needed. Estimates s…
+9 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Solicitor General
19 March 2026
2 contributions
Serious Fraud Office
I would like to pay tribute to Nick Ephgrave for his dedication, professionalism and tenacity during his tenure as director of the Serious Fraud Office. Over the past five years, the SFO has secured more than half a billion pounds through deferred prosecution agreements, sentencing outcomes and proc…
I recognise the vital role that whistleblowers play in uncovering serious economic crime, and the need to ensure that they are properly protected and supported when they come forward. Through the recently launched UK anti-corruption strategy, the Government have committed to exploring opportunities …
Commons
Oral Questions
Solicitor General
5 February 2026
3 contributions
Child Abduction and Custody Act 1985
I thank the hon. Lady for raising this question and for her continued work campaigning on child abduction and domestic abuse. The UK is actively engaged on this issue internationally and domestically. Where a child abduction offence has been committed, prosecutors will always consider the motivation…
I am very sorry to hear of situation of the hon. Member’s constituents. I am aware that the hon. Member has met colleagues from the Ministry of Justice, and I commend her for her dedication to championing these issues. We are considering further qualitative research on the operation of the Hague con…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Solicitor General
5 February 2026
2 contributions
Palestine: Legal Obligations
The suffering in Gaza is indefensible. We have been very clear that Israel has an obligation under international humanitarian law to ensure the provision of aid in Gaza and that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency has a critical role. The priority is for aid routes to be fully opened, interna…
Since this Government have come to office, we have been very clear that Israel has an obligation under international humanitarian law to ensure the provision of aid in Gaza and that UNRWA has a critical role in delivering that response. The UK remains firmly committed to upholding international law.…
Commons
Oral Questions
Solicitor General
5 February 2026
3 contributions
Human Trafficking
Last April, the Government published a modern slavery action plan to reinforce our commitment to working across Government and with law enforcement, civil society, survivors, businesses and international partners to prevent exploitation, protect victims and pursue those responsible for such awful cr…
I thank my hon. Friend for raising that important issue. I am very sorry to hear about the experiences of her constituent Paige. Modern slavery cases are complex. The CPS will always ensure that its prosecutors share best practice and insights to improve outcomes for victims and, as I said previousl…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Solicitor General
5 February 2026
7 contributions
Jury Trials
In December, the Deputy Prime Minister set out the measures that this Government are taking to tackle the crisis in our courts. As I have stated in the House previously, jury trials will remain the cornerstone of our justice system, but reform and investment are needed to cut through the backlog, wh…
In his report, Sir Brian Leveson estimated that introducing these reforms would lead to a 20% time saving. At the moment, we have a situation in which victims of rape are waiting three or sometimes four years for their cases to get to court. Investment in the system is also important, which is why w…
+5 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Solicitor General
5 February 2026
3 contributions
CPS Serious Economic, Organised Crime and International Directorate
This Government are determined to make the UK a hostile environment for economic crime. The CPS plays a pivotal role in deterring offenders and bringing fraudsters to justice, with consistently high conviction rates of about 86%. Last year the CPS successfully secured the first prosecution for the b…
It is utterly indefensible that the shadow Attorney General in the other place is acting as a lawyer for sanctioned Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. He has recused himself from giving legal advice to the Conservative party on the issue of Ukraine and financial sanctions, sacrificing a key eleme…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Solicitor General
5 February 2026
3 contributions
Female Genital Mutilation
Female genital mutilation is an abhorrent practice and I am determined to see more prosecutions. Earlier this week, I spoke at the Crown Prosecution Service’s second national multi-agency conference on honour-based abuse, where I was privileged to have survivors share their stories with me and was m…
We are launching a pilot in four police forces to test multi-agency approaches to managing FGM protection orders. A whole-system approach is fundamental to tackling FGM and increasing prosecutions. In the spring, the Minister for Safeguarding and I will be hosting a ministerial roundtable dedicated …
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Solicitor General
5 February 2026
3 contributions
Grooming Gangs
This Government remain absolutely committed to stamping out the appalling crimes of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The national inquiry chaired by Baroness Longfield is due to start in March. The Crown Prosecution Service has seen a 25% increase in child sex abuse prosecutions over the past th…
The hon. Gentleman makes an important point. Many of the local services under review in the national inquiry starting in March, particularly child protection and policing, are devolved responsibilities in Scotland and Northern Ireland. My understanding is that the Scottish Government have finally or…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Solicitor General
13 November 2025
10 contributions
Violence against Women and Girls
Tackling violence against women and girls is a top priority for this Government and for me. With the Crown Prosecution Service, I am utterly determined to drive improvements in performance across the breadth of VAWG offences. On domestic abuse, the CPS launched its joint justice plan with policing i…
I thank Restore for its excellent work—the organisation has been diligently supporting victims of domestic abuse for decades now. Under the joint justice plan, CPS areas and police forces have worked together to tailor their response to domestic abuse, addressing local priorities and community needs…
+8 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Solicitor General
13 November 2025
6 contributions
Support for Victims of Crime
This Government place the experience of victims at the very heart of the justice system and are determined to restore their faith in the system. I want to acknowledge the sad passing of Baroness Newlove, who worked tirelessly for victims. Through its victim transformation programme, the CPS is resha…
I am very sorry to hear about the experience of the hon. Gentleman’s constituent, and I am sure our thoughts are with them. This Government inherited a justice system in crisis, with a record and rising Crown court caseload. Next year, we will fund the Crown courts to run at record levels to tackle …
+4 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Solicitor General
13 November 2025
5 contributions
Rural Crime
Rural crime can destroy our landscapes, jeopardise businesses and, over time, break down communities. This Government are committed to cracking down on crime and disorder in rural areas, through tougher powers on antisocial behaviour, farm theft, and fly-tipping. The Crown Prosecution Service has ap…
I am sorry to hear about the terrible experience of my hon. Friend’s constituent, and I recognise the significant impact that the theft of equipment has on farmers, both financially and on their wellbeing. The Government recently announced an £800,000 funding boost for the national rural crime unit …
+3 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Solicitor General
13 November 2025
3 contributions
Serious Fraud Office: Economic Crime
Since April 2020, the SFO has recovered over £550 million from criminals for the UK taxpayer, but this Government want to go further and are investing millions in expanding the SFO’s capabilities. Under our plan for change, we will crack down on fraud and ensure that crime does not pay.
On 9 September, the Serious Fraud Office secured £1.1 million from the sale of a Lake district house in an investigation involving its first use of an unexplained wealth order, connected to the assets of the wife of convicted fraudster Timothy Schools. This innovative use of the legislation showcase…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Proceedings
23 October 2025
18 contributions
Alleged Spying Case: Role of Attorney General’s Office
I thank the right hon. Gentleman for raising this urgent question, following the deeply disappointing collapse of the prosecution case concerning two individuals charged under the Official Secrets Act 1911.
It is a bedrock constitutional principle that prosecutions in this country are free from pol…
Today we have heard from the shadow Justice Secretary yet more of the baseless smears that have characterised the Conservative party’s approach to a matter of such importance to this House and the whole nation. He knows that the Attorney General will give evidence next week—as soon as Tuesday—to the…
+16 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
10 July 2025
5 contributions
Plan for Change
Our plan for change is already delivering the change the country voted for a year ago. Great British Energy, headquartered in Aberdeen, is investing £1 billion in offshore wind supply chains, benefiting workers in our industrial heartlands. Britain had the highest growth in the G7 in the first quart…
My hon. Friend makes an important point. Under this Labour Government, NHS waiting lists are falling and we have an ambitious plan for the future of the NHS. Under the SNP, Scotland has an analogue Government in a digital age, and Scotland’s patients are missing out. Scotland needs a new direction, …
+3 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Cabinet Office
5 June 2025
2 contributions
Topical Questions
My hon. Friend is right to celebrate the recent figures showing that the UK was the fastest-growing economy in the G7 in the first quarter of this year—a sign that this Government’s focus on growth is beginning to bear fruit. We are determined to drive growth in every corner of the country. The lowe…
Visiting schools in my constituency is one of my favourite parts of being a Member of Parliament, and I encourage all MPs to do the same. We will legislate to lower the voting age to 16 for all UK elections—when parliamentary time allows, and following engagement and planning with relevant stakehold…