:02:55. > :03:01.Good morning and welcome to BBC Parliament's live coverage of the
:03:02. > :03:06.future parliamentary business. Will Grayling will answer
:03:07. > :03:12.future parliamentary business. Will then be a short statement rdgarding
:03:13. > :03:17.the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly. The main
:03:18. > :03:23.business today are backbench debates. The first is UK policy on
:03:24. > :03:31.space exploration. The second regards House of Lords reform. The
:03:32. > :03:39.day ends with plans to direct electricity pylons for Hinkley C.
:03:40. > :03:49.Join me for a round-up of the day at 11pm tonight. First, questions to
:03:50. > :03:53.Jeremy Wright, the Attorney,General. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Legal
:03:54. > :03:57.updated ahead of the introdtction of updated ahead of the
:03:58. > :04:02.the new effects of coercive or controlling behaviour. And to
:04:03. > :04:06.support the introduction of that guidance, training has been
:04:07. > :04:15.developed and made availabld to prosecutors. Women's groups have
:04:16. > :04:21.warmly welcomed the new ruld as a step forward for protecting victims.
:04:22. > :04:28.Does he expect a rise in thd number of these cases coming to cotrt as a
:04:29. > :04:33.result? I am grateful and I pay tribute to all those groups who do
:04:34. > :04:40.so much to support male and female victims of domestic abuse. We can
:04:41. > :04:42.expect a rise in prosecutions. We have seen similar resident hn the
:04:43. > :04:53.cases of stalking and harassment a few years ago. Given that conviction
:04:54. > :04:58.rates for rape, domestic abtse and other sexual offences has f`llen in
:04:59. > :05:03.the last year, what reassur`nces can the Minister give to the Hotse that
:05:04. > :05:08.further budget cuts will not damage the attempt to secure justice for
:05:09. > :05:18.the victims of those cryings -- those crimes. The rate remahns
:05:19. > :05:23.broadly flat for domestic vholence. The volume of convictions continues
:05:24. > :05:24.to increase and that is good news for every single victim involved.
:05:25. > :05:47.For example, rape no concerns 2 00. No prosecution will be prevdnted as
:05:48. > :05:53.a result of any budget problems The strength of the victims' evhdence in
:05:54. > :06:03.a domestic abuse trial can often depend on recollections as close to
:06:04. > :06:10.the time as possible. Perhaps victims should be allowed to record
:06:11. > :06:18.testimony on their mobile phones, rather than being taken to ` police
:06:19. > :06:24.station. We have police pilots in London using body cameras to capture
:06:25. > :06:29.the immediate effects. I thhnk that technology needs to be very much
:06:30. > :06:30.part of the tools available to police officers when investhgating
:06:31. > :06:39.these cases. Domestic accounts for a fifth of all crime in
:06:40. > :06:44.Northern Ireland. Police officers attend 60 incidents per day. We
:06:45. > :06:50.still have problems with people feeling to come forward,
:06:51. > :07:02.particularly men. By the CPS considering taking steps with police
:07:03. > :07:08.forces to encourage people to record all of these cases? 15% of these
:07:09. > :07:12.cases are about men. It is not a badge of shame to admit you are a
:07:13. > :07:17.male victim of domestic abuse. That message needs to be heard loud and
:07:18. > :07:23.clear throughout the length and breadth of the United Kingdom. With
:07:24. > :07:26.permission, I'll answer this question with question seven. I meet
:07:27. > :07:31.regularly with ministerial colleagues to discuss issues of
:07:32. > :07:41.common interest, among them EU law matters. By convention, where advice
:07:42. > :07:48.has been issued, it is not disclosed. Given the timesc`le, can
:07:49. > :07:57.the Attorney-General tell us what legal form the renegotiation will
:07:58. > :08:02.take? I can't discuss the ldgal ramifications of an agreement that
:08:03. > :08:05.has not yet been reached. When the agreement is reached, the House will
:08:06. > :08:10.be able to see it and form hts own judgment coming including on its own
:08:11. > :08:14.legal aspects in which we whll be able to see more. The final say in
:08:15. > :08:20.this matter will come from the British public who will havd a
:08:21. > :08:22.referendum to do if dashed to determine their verdict, a
:08:23. > :08:31.referendum which a Labour government would not have given them. @rticle
:08:32. > :08:37.50 of the Lisbon Treaty stated that the with drawing state would
:08:38. > :08:43.automatically be excluded from all meetings of the European Cotncil. If
:08:44. > :08:48.agreement is not reached within two years, they would automatic`lly be
:08:49. > :08:55.excluded from negotiating tdrms Does he agree that are withdrawing
:08:56. > :09:02.state would be liable to punishment to dissuade others from leaving
:09:03. > :09:09.Therefore there is no such thing as a soft British exit? He is several
:09:10. > :09:16.is a renegotiation. And the side of The first thing that needs to
:09:17. > :09:18.the House, we believe the renegotiation is necessary `nd we
:09:19. > :09:23.wish the Prime Minister of success in achieving it. When he has, there
:09:24. > :09:33.will be a referendum to detdrmine whether the British public consider
:09:34. > :09:36.it to be a good deal or not. We believe the referendum and the
:09:37. > :09:42.renegotiation are the right thing to do. As the plan appears to be to
:09:43. > :09:46.have an agreement at the first stage which would later be confirled in a
:09:47. > :09:48.treaty change, as the voters in Denmark and Ireland have shown in
:09:49. > :09:53.the past, the outcome of national the past, the
:09:54. > :09:57.referendums cannot be taken for granted. How can the governlent be
:09:58. > :10:03.certain that any proposed treaty change in the future would `ctually
:10:04. > :10:06.be approved by each one of the other 27 EU states? My friend will
:10:07. > :10:10.recognise these are matters which will be debated filly in thd course
:10:11. > :10:16.of the referendum campaign. I know he will play a full part in the
:10:17. > :10:19.campaign. In the past, both in the leash to Ireland and Denmark,
:10:20. > :10:24.international agreements have been reached have subsequently bden
:10:25. > :10:28.enacted. It is of course solething that the government will wish to
:10:29. > :10:33.consider. And which the public will wish to consider if that is the
:10:34. > :10:39.outcome of the renegotiation. Where this country to vote to leave the
:10:40. > :10:45.European Union, with the Attorney-General's advice to the
:10:46. > :10:53.government be that that renegotiation should be tabled
:10:54. > :10:58.straightaway? I think you whll recognise that we are some way away
:10:59. > :11:03.from that. As I said in my hnitial answer, I cannot discuss in this
:11:04. > :11:09.Minister. I hope he will forgive me may or may not give
:11:10. > :11:16.Minister. I hope he will forgive me if I don't do so now. One of the
:11:17. > :11:23.risks of leaving the EU will be that the UK cannot rely on justice
:11:24. > :11:32.measures for serious and organised crime and terrorism. Which `dvice
:11:33. > :11:35.that what advice has he givdn and to which departments? I'm going to
:11:36. > :11:40.sound like a broken record, but I can't give advice that I max may not
:11:41. > :11:46.have given to the government in this chamber. I am not going to do so, I
:11:47. > :11:51.am afraid. The legal position surrounding the so-called
:11:52. > :11:59.renegotiation is confused that best. renegotiation is confused that best.
:12:00. > :12:15.It seems to me this is potentially delaying the possible withdrawal
:12:16. > :12:18.from the EC eight are. -- ECHR. I cannot comment on the legal status
:12:19. > :12:25.of an agreement which has not yet been negotiated. Relating to ECHR,
:12:26. > :12:29.he will know my ministerial colleagues are working hard on the
:12:30. > :12:42.government's proposals and he will hear them in due course. To ensure a
:12:43. > :12:53.consistent approach across `ll areas, a steering group has been
:12:54. > :13:00.established. It meets regul`rly What assessment has he made of the
:13:01. > :13:04.CPS's action plan to improvd the prosecution of rape and sextal
:13:05. > :13:10.assault? The publication of this action plan demonstrates thd
:13:11. > :13:15.willingness of this governmdnt and the CPS to increase prosecution
:13:16. > :13:21.rates in these areas. It shows a clear line of intent. It is being
:13:22. > :13:25.reflected in the careful consideration of any withdr`wal of
:13:26. > :13:37.prosecution cases before considered by a jury. It is a long-standing
:13:38. > :13:42.convention adopted by my prddecessor that neither the fact nor content of
:13:43. > :13:54.law offices advice is normally disclose outside government. In this
:13:55. > :13:58.case, the government's legal position has been stated by the
:13:59. > :14:04.Prime Minister. I am in agrdement with that. I wonder whether you will
:14:05. > :14:08.do Parliament the courtesy of sharing your view now on thd
:14:09. > :14:13.legality of current militarx action legality of current militarx action
:14:14. > :14:18.in Syria either now or in a statement. I do have a view on the
:14:19. > :14:32.matter and my view is that these we were legal actions. The govdrnment's
:14:33. > :14:36.view has been set out. I don't intend to set out specific `dvice I
:14:37. > :14:42.have given either on the individual drone strike in Syria or in military
:14:43. > :14:45.action against Daesh. The government's legal system is set out
:14:46. > :14:55.and I agree with that. The head of the National wildlife
:14:56. > :14:58.crime unit worked closely together with their colleagues to discuss
:14:59. > :15:05.policy at casework issues. Both parties sit on the DEFRA partnership
:15:06. > :15:11.action against wildlife crile board. Does the Minister agree that if we
:15:12. > :15:17.continue to seek convention rates -- conviction rates increase, the
:15:18. > :15:29.Government needs to fund thd National wildlife crime unit. I m
:15:30. > :15:32.good for to the honourable lady Last year, overall conviction rates
:15:33. > :15:40.were 71%, which compares favourably with other types of crime. There
:15:41. > :15:49.were 605 defendants prosecuted with 240 and drink guilty pleas. -- 40
:15:50. > :15:58.offering guilty pleas. In mx constituency and in the widdr
:15:59. > :16:06.south-west, the crime unit play a vital roll, not only around poaching
:16:07. > :16:09.but protecting rare creaturds. If this unit is disbanded, there is no
:16:10. > :16:13.to step into their shoes. I would ask the Minister to look carefully
:16:14. > :16:20.at withdrawing to what does amount to very little funding but does such
:16:21. > :16:22.vital workforce of I hear what my honourable friend says. I'm sure the
:16:23. > :16:31.DEFRA ministers do as well. has indeed played a very important
:16:32. > :16:33.role in the prosecution of the serious offences. As I said, a
:16:34. > :16:47.decision on funding will be made very soon. I'm just consciots to ask
:16:48. > :16:50.the Attorney General, is thdre enough the desertion for thd
:16:51. > :16:55.production of wildlife but `lso the protection of individuals who are
:16:56. > :17:03.involved in rural sports. I'm good for to the honourable gentldman I
:17:04. > :17:10.think Great Britain has led the world in protection
:17:11. > :17:11.whilst the relevant laws ard in place, they will be properlx
:17:12. > :17:16.enforced and prosecutions whll be applied using the tests that
:17:17. > :17:24.prosecutors have to do, and taking the evidence where it leads them.
:17:25. > :17:28.Question other six, Mr Speaker. The director of public as it isn't and I
:17:29. > :17:33.have regular discussions about the Crown Prosecution Service operations
:17:34. > :17:42.was that we both believe th`t this enables the CPS to act corrdctly. We
:17:43. > :17:44.also have to discuss how thd CPS can be more efficient and effective in
:17:45. > :17:50.the work that it does. Does the the work that it does. Does the
:17:51. > :17:53.Minister agree with the forler Director of Public Prosecuthons
:17:54. > :17:58.Lord Macdonald, that the CPS is forced to shed thousands of jobs,
:17:59. > :18:02.meaning we could see a dangdrous situation developing weather CPS
:18:03. > :18:05.no-load has the necessary expertise to do an important job of ddlivering
:18:06. > :18:11.justice to the people of thhs country? No, and nor does the
:18:12. > :18:14.current director of puppet prosecutions. There are two things I
:18:15. > :18:18.draw the honourable lady's `ttention to in the settlement of what it has
:18:19. > :18:25.double in size its countertdrrorism double in size its countertdrrorism
:18:26. > :18:39.caseload there, and she would appreciate. They can also hhre 00
:18:40. > :18:43.more prosecutors to conduct serious sexual cases. They are going
:18:44. > :18:51.position to do so now. We'll be Attorney General confirm, and in his
:18:52. > :18:55.response is consistent with the director of the public prosdcution,
:18:56. > :18:58.of the willingness of the Crown persecution service to look at the
:18:59. > :19:04.way in which it organises itself will stop that is reinforced with
:19:05. > :19:11.the proposal to carry out the Matic reviews of their financing `t a
:19:12. > :19:16.thematic level. I agree with him. I think it is important that the CPS
:19:17. > :19:20.Inspectorate take that role, and the CPS, as I have indicated, I've keen
:19:21. > :19:23.to make sure that the work they do is conducted as efficiently as
:19:24. > :19:29.possible, and it will be necessary for them to do so in what are
:19:30. > :19:32.continuing, difficult econolic times. It is not right to stggest
:19:33. > :19:37.that the CPS to not have thd resources they need to do their job
:19:38. > :19:43.well. This time last year, the DPP was asking the attorney for an extra
:19:44. > :19:49.50 million to prosecute properly complex cases. But the spending
:19:50. > :19:53.review revealed a real terms cut of 2.1% to the law officers'
:19:54. > :20:00.Department. Given the vast lajority of the Budget is taken up bx the
:20:01. > :20:08.CPS, can the attorney now confirm that the DPP is actually saxing she
:20:09. > :20:13.no longer needs the extra 50 million she was pleading for 12 months ago?
:20:14. > :20:18.Can I start by congratulating the honourable gentleman on his
:20:19. > :20:21.promotion? Very well-deservdd. I would point out to him that I think
:20:22. > :20:25.there have been four people doing his job in the time I have been
:20:26. > :20:28.doing mine, so I wish at le`st a comparatively long career in
:20:29. > :20:32.opposition. In relation to the point he has made, he knows because we
:20:33. > :20:37.have discussed it across thdse dispatch boxes before, that it is
:20:38. > :20:40.important to listen to what the CPS are saying now, not what thdy said a
:20:41. > :20:48.year ago. What they are sayhng now is what I've read to him in my
:20:49. > :20:53.initial answer. The CPS comlent at the time, and which you can take it
:20:54. > :20:58.that the DPP agrees with, whll allow the CPS to respond to a changing
:20:59. > :21:01.caseload and the significant increase in competent sensitive
:21:02. > :21:05.cases such as terrorism, rape and serious sexual assaults and child
:21:06. > :21:10.sex abuse. That is what the director of public prosecutions belidves She
:21:11. > :21:22.says this is a good settlemdnt, and I grew agree with her.
:21:23. > :21:32.The CPS have taken a number of steps to improve the conviction r`te for
:21:33. > :21:41.rape and domestic violence. There has been an update to legal advice,
:21:42. > :21:46.and working closely with thd police. I'm grateful for the reply, it won't
:21:47. > :21:52.hide the fact that the convhction rate for rape has fallen by 5.6 in
:21:53. > :21:57.the last four years. It is now just over 56%. The conviction rate for
:21:58. > :22:01.domestic abuse has fallen as well. Something has happened therd. I
:22:02. > :22:05.welcome the review of what that is. A Kerry direction is needed as to
:22:06. > :22:11.what it will take to increase the conviction rate
:22:12. > :22:14.particular. The honourable gentleman has taken an interest in thdse
:22:15. > :22:19.matters and he is right to raise those issues. I remind him `gain
:22:20. > :22:27.that volumes continue to increase to the highest ever levels. I have
:22:28. > :22:33.mentioned rape but to domestic violence levels have risen `s well,
:22:34. > :22:39.so that is a result for thotsands of victims. The key for the attorney
:22:40. > :22:42.and I is to make sure that the prosecution don't bring charges and
:22:43. > :22:47.then drop them without good reason, allow them to go to jury so the jury
:22:48. > :22:54.and magistrates can make decisions. May I take a contrary view `nd say
:22:55. > :23:00.that we all know that a colleague of ours was found innocent of rape and
:23:01. > :23:04.a young student was recentlx found innocent of rape. It is important
:23:05. > :23:11.that the Crown Prosecution Service do not prosecute people likdly. If
:23:12. > :23:15.they think they are innocent, they should make sure they are not
:23:16. > :23:20.prosecuted. Can I assure my honourable friend that the
:23:21. > :23:27.prosecution in every case mtst apply the test of reasonable chance of
:23:28. > :23:30.conviction, and whether that is in the public interest. That should
:23:31. > :23:32.apply to everyone, no matter whether they are in this House or any other
:23:33. > :23:37.part of the country. It equality before the law and the
:23:38. > :23:44.evidence must be followed wherever it leads. Despite what the Solicitor
:23:45. > :23:50.General has said, the fact hs that conviction rates for rape and
:23:51. > :23:54.limited abuse have fallen. There needs to be more done to reduce the
:23:55. > :23:59.instances of these offences, as well as doing more to support victims. We
:24:00. > :24:06.on this site make a manifesto commitment to reduce a Bill, as the
:24:07. > :24:10.Welsh government has done. Ht would enable revisions to set a
:24:11. > :24:17.Commissioner, to set minimul standards to tackle sexual `nd
:24:18. > :24:19.domestic violence. Can the Government to do the same qtestion
:24:20. > :24:25.can I welcome her to her position? It is a pleasure to see her. We have
:24:26. > :24:29.worked in the South Wales ldgal fraternity together for manx years.
:24:30. > :24:34.This government is absolutely committed to the funding and the
:24:35. > :24:40.combat of violence against women and girls. There is a cross minhsterial
:24:41. > :24:43.group that meets regularly, which I'm a member, we have introduced
:24:44. > :24:51.legislation to criminalise coerced control, we have increased the
:24:52. > :24:57.powers that the police and the persecution service have at their
:24:58. > :25:06.control. That is why the conviction rates have increased.
:25:07. > :25:12.For the purposes of clarity, I am not a member of the Welsh ldgal
:25:13. > :25:16.fraternity either! After thd tragic events in Paris last month, we have
:25:17. > :25:20.asked for a review into the legal framework and the investigatory
:25:21. > :25:23.processes relating to inciddnts involving the police use of
:25:24. > :25:29.firearms. I will play my part in that review, which will conclude
:25:30. > :25:35.later this year. My name max suggest otherwise, but Wales is not my home.
:25:36. > :25:37.Mr Speaker, last week, I met with the chief cars will for Sussex and
:25:38. > :25:40.we agree that our firearms officers do a job which is difficult and
:25:41. > :25:43.often dangerous. They are more lightly than ever to be called upon
:25:44. > :25:47.to perfect the public. They understand that they will nded to
:25:48. > :25:55.account for the actions if they use lethal force. Is the Attorndy
:25:56. > :25:57.General comfortable but our authorities support this balance
:25:58. > :25:59.Gresham and I agree with my honourable friend. Although, as he
:26:00. > :26:07.says, it is important that hncidents are properly investigated, but it is
:26:08. > :26:11.also important to treat polhce officers fairly. If we need to
:26:12. > :26:17.recruit more officers to do the difficult work of using firdarms,
:26:18. > :26:20.and we need to retain experhenced firearms officers, they need to feel
:26:21. > :26:22.the system will protect thel fairly. That is what I hope this review will
:26:23. > :26:36.do. Whilst I have to observe thd
:26:37. > :26:40.proprieties of the law officers Convention, the governorate welcomes
:26:41. > :26:47.the clarity that the judgment provided, in which any assessment of
:26:48. > :26:54.vulnerability must be made, looking at the circumstance of anyone's
:26:55. > :26:59.situation. Homeless people `re inherently vulnerable. Can the
:27:00. > :27:03.Solicitor General be sure that as the law currently stands, there is a
:27:04. > :27:09.safety net that is provided for honourable homeless people who are
:27:10. > :27:11.unintentionally homeless? I am grateful, I commend him for the
:27:12. > :27:14.concerned were what he has done on this issue, both in the caphtal and
:27:15. > :27:19.generally. The Government convene in that case -- into being in that case
:27:20. > :27:20.because there is a concern that it will