Tag: 2022

Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (21/11/2022)

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 21 November 2022.

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

This day is coming to an end – already the 270th day of the full-scale war. I will report briefly.

The first topic is the frontline. The fiercest battles, as before, are in the Donetsk region. Although there are fewer attacks today due to the deterioration of the weather, the number of Russian shelling occasions remains, unfortunately, extremely high.

Luhansk region – little by little we are moving forward with battles. As of now, there have been almost 400 shelling occasions in the east since the beginning of the day. Thank you to each and everyone who holds positions and helps our defense forces.

South – we are holding the line, consistently and very calculatedly destroying the potential of the occupiers.

The second topic is energy. Restoration of networks and technical supply capabilities, demining of power transmission lines, repairs – everything goes on round the clock.

We managed to alleviate the situation in some regions where there were a lot of real problems yesterday. This evening there are stabilization shutdowns in 15 regions and in Kyiv as well. The largest are Vinnytsia, Sumy, Poltava, Khmelnytskyi, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kyiv regions and the capital. We are doing everything possible and impossible to return normal life to Odesa, Kharkiv and all our cities and communities.

And I thank all energy workers, utility workers, regional administrations – everyone who works for the sake of Ukrainians.

The third topic is foreign policy. Today I addressed the participants of the summit of the International Organization of La Francophonie. These are more than 50 participating countries, and more than 20 observer countries. Africa, Asia, America, Europe – everywhere they hear Ukraine, everywhere they know our proposals on how to restore peace to Ukraine and how to restore stability to the world.

I will say right away that the Ukrainian peace formula is perceived extremely positively in the world. It is quite constructive and realistic – in contrast to the empty and mendacious Russian rhetoric about their alleged readiness for some kind of negotiations.

We will do everything to make the world accept the Ukrainian peace formula.

There will be several important international addresses in the upcoming week. And we are already preparing.

And one more thing.

Traditionally, the Day of Agricultural Workers is celebrated in Ukraine on the third Sunday of November. Was there ever an international context to this day? This year it’s definitely there.

This year, many people in the world saw how important the contribution of Ukrainians to global food security is. The lives of millions of people in different countries directly depend on our agricultural sector.

I thank all our people who work on the ground, who provide Ukraine and the world with the essentials. Thanks to you and your work, we can find support for our state in those countries with which we do not yet have traditional relations. But we will have them, trust me.

Glory to all who fight for Ukraine!

Glory to everyone who works and helps!

Glory to Ukraine!

December 10, 2022
Liz Twist – 2022 Parliamentary Question on Economic Crime

The parliamentary question asked by Liz Twist, the Labour MP for Blaydon, in the House of Commons on 7 December 2022.

Liz Twist (Blaydon) (Lab)

What steps she is taking to improve the effectiveness of the (a) Serious Fraud Office and (b) Crown Prosecution Service in prosecuting cases of fraud and economic crime.

Mr Virendra Sharma (Ealing, Southall) (Lab)

What steps she is taking to improve the effectiveness of the (a) Serious Fraud Office and (b) Crown Prosecution Service in prosecuting cases of fraud and economic crime.

The Solicitor General (Michael Tomlinson)

Last year the Crown Prosecution Service prosecuted 7,200 defendants where fraud and forgery were the principal offence, and the conviction rate was 84.1%. This financial year, the Serious Fraud Office has successfully prosecuted four fraudsters, as well as Glencore, which resulted in the highest ever order in a corporate criminal conviction in the UK.

Liz Twist

There were almost 940,000 fraud offences in the latest Home Office data, but only around 4,800 of those offences resulted in charges or summonses. The exact charge rate was just 0.51%, which is even lower than the rate of the previous year. Why does the Attorney General think the charge rate for fraud is so abysmally low? What does she plan to do about it?

The Solicitor General

The figures show that, last year, the CPS prosecuted 7,200 defendants where fraud and forgery were the principal offence, and the conviction rate was 84.1%. In April 2022, the CPS launched a united team, and a new serious economic, organised crime and international directorate has been set up to help in that regard.

Mr Sharma

It is a simple fact of life that we cannot tackle a problem if we do not know the scale and nature of that problem. Does the Attorney General agree that the Government need urgent answers to three basic questions, “What is the total scale of fraud in the UK? How much of it is perpetrated from overseas? And how much of it is perpetrated by organised crime?”? Can we have an answer to any of those questions today?

The Solicitor General

Both the CPS and the SFO play a significant role in tackling fraud and economic crime, and we should not gloss over the successes that there have been. Once again, I pay tribute to the SFO for its successful prosecution of Glencore, which resulted in a £280 million total payment, the highest ever that has been ordered in a corporate criminal conviction in the United Kingdom.

December 10, 2022
David Duguid – 2022 Parliamentary Question on War Crimes Investigation in Ukraine

The parliamentary question asked by David Duguid, the Conservative MP for Banff and Buchan, in the House of Commons on 7 December 2022.

David Duguid (Banff and Buchan) (Con)

What steps she has taken to support the investigation of potential war crimes in Ukraine.

The Attorney General (Victoria Prentis)

The Government stand with Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia’s invasion. I am personally extremely committed to this and, frankly, my home life would not be worth living if I were not. We are working closely with the Ukrainian prosecutor general, Andriy Kostin, as he prosecutes Russia’s crimes in the Ukrainian courts. The UK, US and EU Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group is helping him, as is Sir Howard Morrison. We have provided a package of financial support for the International Criminal Court, and we stand ready to do whatever else is required.

David Duguid

I join others in welcoming my right hon. Friend to her post. What is her assessment of the international community’s response to the alleged war crimes being committed in Ukraine?

The Attorney General

The international community is determined to support Ukraine’s search for justice. Last week I attended a meeting of G7 Justice Ministers in Berlin, which focused on this. These are difficult issues to address, and it will take time and careful international working to overcome the perspectives and preferences of individual states.

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD)

It is clearly hugely important that those who commit war crimes are brought to justice. Does the Attorney General agree it is hugely important that maximum publicity is given, perhaps via social media, to shame those who have committed these crimes?

The Attorney General

The hon. Gentleman makes an important point, and this is a very unusual situation. The Ukrainians are prosecuting war crimes in real time, and we hope the news of those prosecutions, and of the 13 Russian soldiers who have already been convicted and imprisoned as a result, will permeate through the Russian ranks and stop them committing war crimes in this terrible war.

December 10, 2022
Alan Brown – 2022 Parliamentary Question on the Supreme Court Decision on the Scottish Independence Referendum

The parliamentary question asked by Alan Brown, the SNP MP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, in the House of Commons on 7 December 2022.

Alan Brown (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP)

Whether she has made an assessment of the implications for her policies of the findings of the Supreme Court on the reference by the Lord Advocate of devolution issues under paragraph 34 of schedule 6 to the Scotland Act 1998.

Allan Dorans (Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock) (SNP)

Whether she has made an assessment of the implications for her policies of the findings of the Supreme Court on the reference by the Lord Advocate of devolution issues under paragraph 34 of schedule 6 to the Scotland Act 1998.

The Attorney General (Victoria Prentis)

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Opposition Front Bench and the Chairman of the Justice Committee for their extremely kind comments. I welcome the ruling of the Supreme Court. The Court was very clear—it was a unanimous decision—that a Bill legislating for a referendum on Scottish independence is not within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament.

Alan Brown

That might be the case in the Supreme Court, but if we look back, we see that John Major said of Scotland that

“no nation could be held irrevocably in a Union against its will”,

so will the Attorney General confirm that Scotland is in a voluntary Union, and if so, what is the legal mechanism to affirm that or, more importantly, the legal means by which Scotland can voluntarily leave the Union?

The Attorney General

The UK Supreme Court was very clear that an independence referendum was related to reserved matters, and the Government welcome the Court’s confirmation of this point. What the people of Scotland want is to see the Government working with them to solve the issues that matter to them.

Allan Dorans

Following the recent Supreme Court judgment, the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Scotland have been asked on numerous occasions what is the democratic route available to Scotland to leave the Union. Neither has been able to provide an answer. If the people of England wanted to leave this alleged voluntary Union of equals, what democratic process would be available to them?

The Attorney General

I believe that I have answered this question already, and I have heard the Prime Minister answer it several times in the course of Prime Minister’s questions. The Supreme Court rejected the Lord Advocate’s submission that an advisory referendum would have only an indirect and consequential effect on the reserved matter. This matter is reserved.

Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)

Does my right hon. Friend agree that the Supreme Court’s judgment will also have an unexpected side effect in that it will force the Scottish Government to concentrate on domestic policy for once?

The Attorney General

I agree that the people of Scotland want us to work together to fix the challenges we face collectively. Now is the time to make sure we work together, and that is what this Government will do.

December 10, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Government awards £45 million to maintain flagship scientific research vessels including RRS Sir David Attenborough [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 10 December 2022.

Industry and Maritime Minister Nusrat Ghani announces £45 million in funding to maintain the UK’s state-of-the-art fleet of research vessels.
- Babcock International’s Rosyth shipyard today has been awarded £45 million to maintain the UK’s fleet of scientific research vessels – RRS Sir David Attenborough, RRS Discovery and RRS James Cook.
- the three vessels involved in some of the most pressing global research across the globe, visiting polar regions and depths of tropical oceans
- this investment is a boost for UK shipbuilding and will support highly-skilled jobs and suppliers in Scotland and across the UK, and a key step in the government’s National Shipbuilding Strategy.
£45 million in funding to maintain the UK’s state-of-the-art fleet of research vessels has been announced today (Saturday 10 December) by Industry and Maritime Minister Nusrat Ghani.

The £45 million contract, awarded to Babcock International by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), is a key component of the government’s National Shipbuilding Strategy, boosting investment in the prestigious UK shipbuilding industry.

Maintenance and upgrades will be carried out on RRS Sir David Attenborough, RRS Discovery, and RRS James Cook, three ships which conduct innovative scientific research into our oceans and polar regions, and support scientists tackling global issues such as climate change and pollution.

Industry and Maritime Minister, Nusrat Ghani said:

RRS Sir David Attenborough and its maiden voyage to Antarctica inspired the explorer in all of us, venturing into some of the world’s most unforgiving climates, while conducting vital scientific research on pressing global issues like sea level rise and marine biodiversity.

This research is invaluable, which is why we are committing the funding needed for the upkeep of these key research vessels, drawing on Rosyth Shipyard’s proven track record of excellent work maintaining UK ships.

The shipbuilding industry supports more than 40,000 jobs across the UK. This investment will secure highly skilled jobs and suppliers to maintain the UK’s advanced fleet of research ships.

The initial three-year contract, with additional two-year option, will see the large oceanographic and polar research vessels dock at Babcock’s state-of-the-art facilities in Rosyth, Scotland, for programmed maintenance and upgrade work.

Babcock Rosyth is a leading provider of maritime support, and where maintenance, repairs and upgrades are also carried out on the UK Royal Navy’s aircraft carriers.

Defence Secretary and Shipbuilding Tsar, Ben Wallace, said:

This is another fantastic example of the National Shipbuilding Strategy delivering for British industry and boosting investment in UK yards.

A cornerstone of British shipbuilding, Rosyth is already home to a number of major build and maintenance contracts, bringing a wealth of expertise and experience to the British shipbuilding sector.

Professor Sir Duncan Wingham, Executive Chair of NERC, part of UK Research and Innovation, said:

The UK’s fleet of advanced research ships provides state-of-the-art facilities for scientists to conduct research of our oceans and polar regions, building our understanding of the ice, atmosphere, and seas.

We look forward to working with Babcock Rosyth to maintain these ships and onboard facilities, which are a key part of the UK’s scientific infrastructure.

David Lockwood, Babcock CEO said:

We are delighted to have been awarded the contract to maintain this important NERC fleet.

Our flexible and efficient solution will ensure the fleet is maintained to exceptional standards and optimise vessel availability in support of NERC’s global footprint.

Tom Chant, CEO of the Society of Maritime Industries, said:

Congratulations to Babcock on this important business win. The Rosyth base has already benefitted from the investment for the Type 31 project. This has developed the workforce and their skill base and created a world beating shipyard.

The skills and facilities at Rosyth will be a great match for the NERC vessels with their specialist requirements and tough expeditionary voyages.

The RRS Sir David Attenborough is operated by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and is one of the world’s most advanced polar research vessels, having departed the UK for its maiden voyage in November 2021. The vessel recently left its UK home port on November 20th, for a six-month expedition to Antarctica. In the coming expedition, the RRS Sir David Attenborough will be testing a new artificial intelligence system which will help chart the most environmentally-friendly route at any given time.

Measuring 129 metres in length and with a range of 19,000 nautical miles, it accommodates up to 90 crew, scientists, and support staff, and will enable research of the oceans, seafloor, ice and atmosphere.

The RRS Discovery (2013) and RRS James Cook (2006) are operated by the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) and conduct oceanic exploration around the world, undertaking multi -disciplinary marine science to unlock the mysteries of the deep ocean.

Following the refit, RRS Discovery will be heading to the Arctic to explore nitrogen fixation with the University of Liverpool and NERC, whilst RRS James Cook will continue its research expeditions to some of Earth’s most challenging environments, from tropical oceans to the edge of ice sheets.

All three research ships use state-of-the-art technologies such as autonomous underwater vehicles, including the famous NOC Autosub called Boaty McBoatface.

Boaty, and other NOC-developed technologies have the ability to travel under ice and to depths of 6,000m to investigate the process driving change in the Polar Regions. The marine robot fleet at NOC is one of the most capable in the world and support the ships’ scientific research with environmentally-friendly marine observation.
December 10, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Pubs, clubs and shops across the UK saved for local communities by £6.7 million rescue package [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 10 December 2022.

More than 30 pubs, clubs, theatres and other venues at risk of closure have been saved and placed in the hands of local people thanks to £6.67 million of government levelling up funding.
- Funding will help community groups take ownership of local institutions that have fallen into disrepair or are under threat of closure
- Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities announced second round allocations from £150 million Community Ownership Fund (COF)
- Scheme will help restore Moor Pool Snooker Hall in Birmingham, refurbish changing pavilions in Falkirk and rescue an 180-year old village shop in Llandyrnog
More than 30 pubs, clubs, theatres and other venues at risk of closure have been saved and placed in the hands of local people thanks to £6.67 million of government levelling up funding.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has today announced allocations from the second round of the £150 million Community Ownership Fund.

The funding will help community groups take ownership of local institutions that have fallen into disrepair or are under threat of closure and give them a new lease of life, ensuring they continue to provide vital services, create opportunities and boost local economies

Successful projects include the Margaret Haes riding centre in Bury, which supports people with disabilities, historic pubs in Warrington and Limpley Stoke and grass-roots sports clubs in Falkirk and Devon.

Levelling Up Minister Dehenna Davison said:

“We’re putting beloved pubs, clubs and heritage sites into the hands of local people to ensure these cherished institutions and the vital services they provide are guaranteed for future generations.

“With the government backing announced today, these places will continue to thrive, make a difference to people’s lives and be run by the local community for the local community.”

Combined with Round 1 projects, this additional funding takes the overall total to £16.74m for 70 projects, with £2.0m allocated to Scotland, £1.6m to Wales and £1.3m to Northern Ireland.

Successful projects include:
- The Margaret Haes riding centre in Bury will be saved from closure so it can continue to provide vital services to people with disabilities and their carers.
- Grass-roots sports clubs in Falkirk and Devon will more than £249,000 to transform dilapidated changing pavilions into modern, inclusive, multi-purpose facilities for everyone in the community.
- The Kingswood community centre in Southwark will receive £180,000 in funding to reopen the library and community space for weddings, birthdays and art classes.
- The historic Albert Park in Glasgow’s Southside will also benefit from £100,000 of levelling up cash to restore the clubhouse and pavilion
- The ‘Haverhub’ in Pembrokeshire, a social enterprise nestled in the heart of the historic Quay Street and Riverside Quarter, will take ownership of their building so they can provide a variety of educational courses for local people.
- A village pub in Kent, The Honest Miller, has been saved from closure so it can return and serve food and drinks to locals overlooking the Kent Downs, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
- The Aberystwyth and District Hospice provides vital support to people with chronic and life limiting conditions and their carers. The grant will give the local community the funds they need to buy their premisses outright and make the building more accessible for its users.
- On the Isle of Arran, Scotland the doors of the Lochranza Hotel Bar will open again to welcome locals to enjoy their selection of malt whiskies.
- The Zion Community Arts centre in Bristol will retain its place in the community and provide space for local history groups and businesses.
- The “Heart of Newhaven” in Edinburgh will be reinvented into a vibrant space for theatre groups, choirs and local enterprise.
- In Northern Ireland, the Glór Uachtar Tíre community centre will be transformed into a multi-generational bedrock providing a café and office space, Irish language preschool, a youth radio station and creche facilities.
Debra Batchelor, Trustee at the Margaret Haes Riding Centre said:

“Thanks to this funding, the riding centre can secure the property for present and future generations to benefit from the experiences of being with horses – to empower children and adults with learning disabilities, physical and mental health disabilities, and emotional and social challenges, to lead active and fulfilling lives through equestrian activities. This would not have been possible without the award from the Community Ownership Fund . We can now unlock so many exciting opportunities to develop our facilities and experiences, and further benefit our community. Dreams can come true!”

Cllr Steve Roche, Horrabridge Parish Council said:

“Horrabridge’s King George V Memorial Sports Pavilion support’s the village’s 20 football teams, from age six to walking seniors, including four girls teams. This major grant is the key to providing a new pavilion, fit for purpose. The old pavilion has served us well, very basic, but in a bad state of repair and this grant will help us to save this valuable community asset.”
December 10, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Russia is perpetrating this war of aggression with weapons sourced from Iran – UK statement at the Security Council [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 9 December 2022.

Statement delivered by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the Security Council briefing on Ukraine.

Thank you President and I thank the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs for her briefing.

President, I will be brief because we discussed Russia’s war of aggression on Ukraine just three days ago.

During that meeting, we heard Under-Secretary-General Griffiths’ harrowing account of the horrific consequences of Russia’s war and his deep concerns about the impacts of systematic attacks on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure and civilian centres, particularly ahead of winter. We have just seen further OHCHR reporting on potential atrocities against civilians committed by Russia.

The irony, given the topic of this meeting, is that Russia is perpetrating this war with weapons sourced from Iran in violation of resolution 2231, and is almost certainly seeking to source weaponry from other UN sanctioned states like North Korea as its own stocks dwindle.

We note that despite the resounding calls in this Council again on Tuesday for a ceasefire, and for peace, meaningful dialogue and diplomacy, the Russian President on Wednesday doubled-down, confirming that the invasion would continue and that it would be protracted. He also reaffirmed the neo-imperialist nature of the campaign, claiming that unlike Peter the Great, he had made the Sea of Azov a Russian internal sea.

President, in the face of Russia’s relentless effort to seize Ukraine’s territory in breach of the UN Charter, and to dehumanise, kill and subjugate its people, Ukraine has no choice but to exercise its right to defend itself. If it does not, it would cease to exist. In a similar situation, all of us would do the same. And due to the deep determination to live, Ukraine is prevailing.

The UK is proud of the support it is providing to the Ukrainian people in the face of this aggression, be it defensive, humanitarian or assistance to rebuild critical infrastructure destroyed by Russian attacks.

President, Russia can end this suffering immediately by ceasing attacks against Ukraine, including critical national infrastructure and innocent civilians, and withdrawing all of its forces illegally present in Ukraine.

We welcome and support Ukraine’s initiative for a just and sustainable peace. We again join the international community in calling on Russia to similarly commit to meaningful dialogue and negotiations based on upholding Ukraine’s rights under international law and the UN Charter.

Thank you President.

December 10, 2022
Kevin Foster – 2022 Parliamentary Question on the Unduly Lenient Sentencing Scheme

The parliamentary question asked by Kevin Foster, the Conservative MP for Torbay, in the House of Commons on 7 December 2022.

Kevin Foster (Torbay) (Con)

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the unduly lenient sentencing scheme.

The Solicitor General (Michael Tomlinson)

In the vast majority of cases, judges get sentencing right. The Court of Appeal grants permission to refer a sentence only in exceptional circumstances, and over the last five years the Court of Appeal has increased the sentence in around 70% of cases.

Kevin Foster

My hon. Friend will be aware that the recent publication of statistics regarding the operation of the unduly lenient sentencing scheme during 2021 indicated 151 referrals to the Court of Appeal. How many of those referrals under the scheme followed representations from the victim of a crime to the Attorney General’s Office about the sentence given, and what is being done to ensure that victims are aware of their ability to do that?

The Solicitor General

My hon. Friend knows a lot about the scheme and has long-term interest in it. Of those 151 cases, only eight were referred by victims and a further nine by a member of a victim’s family, and that is not just an aberration for that year; it is a consistent trend. We regularly publish updates on the outcome of these sentences, and the revised victims code includes details of the ULS scheme.

Gavin Robinson (Belfast East) (DUP)

Would the Solicitor General recognise that whenever people in this country try to have a debate around mandatory minimum sentences there is an automatic superficial reaction that talks about the need for judicial discretion, yet there are crimes for which we as a Parliament should be clear as to the appropriate sentence that people ought to expect? [Interruption.]

Mr Speaker

Order. I just want to remind Members not to walk in front of other Members—[Interruption.] Mary Kelly Foy, you walked right in front of the Member who was asking the Minister a question. Please can we all wait, to help each other?

The Solicitor General

The hon. Member for Belfast East (Gavin Robinson) always raises a serious point in relation to these issues. It is right to acknowledge that in the vast majority of cases the sentencing judges get it right, but when Parliament sets down the guidelines and the ambits, they should be followed closely.

December 9, 2022
Scott Benton – 2022 Parliamentary Question on the CPS and Reducing the Backlog of Cases

The parliamentary question asked by Scott Benton, the Conservative MP for Blackpool South, in the House of Commons on 7 December 2022.

Scott Benton (Blackpool South) (Con)

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Crown Prosecution Service in reducing the backlog of cases in the criminal justice system.

Mr Speaker

Scott Benton is not here, but can someone answer the question?

The Solicitor General (Michael Tomlinson)

I recently met frontline prosecutors in Bristol, Devon and London to see at first hand the work being undertaken to tackle the backlog. The CPS has created a national surge team that could be deployed to any region in England and Wales to relieve casework pressures.

Mr Speaker

I call the shadow Solicitor General.

Andy Slaughter (Hammersmith) (Lab)

I welcome the new Attorney General to her position. However, the backlog is still going up. Last week a solicitor was jailed for 12 years for a £10 million fraud after a private prosecution that was brought because the CPS had taken no action. Last year the prosecution rate for fraud, the most commonly experienced crime, was 0.5%, and for the past five years the average number of prosecutions initiated by the Serious Fraud Office has been four. Is the Attorney General’s solution to the backlog not to prosecute cases at all, and is this not a pathetic record of inaction by a Government who have gone soft on crime?

The Solicitor General

I disagree with the hon. Gentleman’s last two points. We all want to see the backlog reduced as quickly as possible, and the Ministry of Justice is leading the development of a cross-Government Crown court recovery plan. It is through, for instance, technology, sentencing blitzes and pre-trial case resolution hearings that we can help to reduce the backlog.

Daniel Zeichner (Cambridge) (Lab)

The police in Cambridge have raised with me the time that they spend on preparing cases for the CPS, but it has also been suggested that simple tweaks to data protection laws and the information recorded on the Registry of Judgments, Orders and Fines could make a real difference. Has the Attorney General considered any of these simple steps?

The Solicitor General

I have had several meetings with both the CPS and the police. It is important for them to work together. When it comes to, for example, prosecutions for rape and serious sexual offences, it is important for early advice to be sought and for co-operation to be seen between the police and the CPS. As for disclosure issues more widely, the Attorney General and I are looking at those very closely.

Mr Speaker

I call the Chair of the Justice Committee.

Sir Robert Neill (Bromley and Chislehurst) (Con)

May I, both personally and on behalf of the Committee, warmly welcome the Attorney General to her place? Everyone who saw her sworn in will know how positive the reaction of Bar and Bench was to the appointment of someone who takes her responsibilities so seriously, and we look forward to working with her.

When the Director of Public Prosecutions gave evidence to the Justice Committee last month, she stressed that the pressures on the CPS must be seen in the context of the justice system as a whole, and that the solution to those pressures required consistent support for the system, but in particular support for CPS staff—

Mr Speaker

Come on! Somebody answer the question!

The Solicitor General

That pleasure falls to me, Mr Speaker. I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his kind words, as I know the Attorney General is. He is right to highlight the words of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and he will know that the Attorney General and I work closely with the director and listen carefully to what he says.

December 9, 2022
Sally-Ann Hart – 2022 Parliamentary Question on the Prosecution Rates of People Traffickers

The parliamentary question asked by Sally-Ann Hart, the Conservative MP for Hastings and Rye, in the House of Commons on 7 December 2022.

Sally-Ann Hart (Hastings and Rye) (Con)

What steps she is taking to increase prosecution rates for (a) small boat gangs and (b) other people traffickers.

The Attorney General (Victoria Prentis)

Since we enacted the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 at the end of June, prosecutions for illegal entry and facilitating illegal entry have increased by 250%. We are working across Government to ensure that we can stop the life-threatening crossings and prosecute the gangs behind them.

Sally-Ann Hart

Organised illegal immigration crime is transnational, making collaboration across Europe vital to tackling people-smuggling from source to transit to destination. What steps is my right hon. Friend taking to work with partners across Europe to share intelligence and resources, to ensure that more prosecutions are successfully brought against these reprehensible criminals?

The Attorney General

My hon. Friend is a great champion for beautiful Hastings and Rye. The Government routinely work with international partners to disrupt organised crime groups. The CPS has deployed a criminal justice adviser in France who supports prosecutions on both sides of the channel. We also collaborate with other jurisdictions, for example through Eurojust—the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation—on sharing evidence-gathering where that is appropriate.

Andrew Lewer

To protect increasingly stretched capacity in places such as Northampton for genuine asylum seekers, what steps is the Attorney General taking to increase prosecution rates for those behind the exploitative people-trafficking in relation to migration from high-volume but safe countries in particular?

The Attorney General

The rate of prosecutions for people trafficking has increased enormously: in 2021-22 it rose by 48%, owing to intensive collaboration between the police and prosecutors.

Tom Randall

I share the anger and frustration felt by many people in Gedling about the small boats issue and the traffickers behind it. What assurance can my right hon. Friend give me that frontline operatives are collaborating on the investigation and prosecution of pilots of small boats?

The Attorney General

My hon. Friend has asked an excellent question, but I hope I can reassure him by saying that the Crown Prosecution Service is working closely with Border Force and immigration colleagues to tackle this dangerous offending. The Solicitor General, the Immigration Minister and I recently met a group of those colleagues, and were very impressed by their determination to work together.

December 9, 2022