:00:00. > :00:00.to ensure football clubs meet the enforcement rules? I'm always
:00:00. > :00:09.delighted to meet with honourable colleagues and I will be delighted
:00:10. > :00:20.to meet him. Questions to the Attorney General.
:00:21. > :00:31.I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues, and we will
:00:32. > :00:40.publish the great repeal Bill injured course. That will determine
:00:41. > :00:43.the process to take it forward. Last month, the Secretary of State
:00:44. > :00:46.for Scotland confirmed that a legislative consent motion would be
:00:47. > :00:51.required from the Scottish Parliament for the great repeal
:00:52. > :00:54.bill. In his answer just now, the Attorney General has stopped well
:00:55. > :01:01.short of that. Can I ask the Attorney General, if the UK
:01:02. > :01:07.Government's edition is the same as that of the Scottish Government,
:01:08. > :01:12.will legislative motions be required? She Dennis Meighan reveal
:01:13. > :01:21.what will be in the great repeal bill. I will not say that yet. --
:01:22. > :01:25.sheet tent. If the bill affects the legislative
:01:26. > :01:31.competence of the Scottish Government, they will need to be a
:01:32. > :01:36.legislative consent motion. Does my right honourable friend share my
:01:37. > :01:41.concern that people might be slightly misled by referring to the
:01:42. > :01:46.proposed bill as the great repeal bill. Although it will repeal the
:01:47. > :01:49.European Community 's act, actually, it is a great continuity bill
:01:50. > :01:56.because its other purpose, apart from other things, is to transfer
:01:57. > :02:02.the body of EU law into UK law. He makes a fair point. It is right to
:02:03. > :02:04.say that what this bill will do is repeal the 1972 European Community
:02:05. > :02:10.'s act and that is a significant step in this country's yesterday. It
:02:11. > :02:14.will also, as he says, make sure that we do not have huge amounts of
:02:15. > :02:19.disruptive change your business, industry and individuals. We will
:02:20. > :02:21.try to make sure there is as much continuity on the day after the
:02:22. > :02:28.departure as there was on the day before departure well that is
:02:29. > :02:31.feasible. Could the Attorney General tell us
:02:32. > :02:39.whether he envisages that there will be consent motions under evil
:02:40. > :02:44.provisions in respect for potential causes in the great repeal bill? We
:02:45. > :02:49.will have to wait and see the content of the bill but I think it
:02:50. > :02:53.is unlikely, given the content that is likely to be in the bill, and
:02:54. > :02:58.given the purpose of it, that we will be looking at very many areas,
:02:59. > :03:03.if any at all, they do not affect the entire United Kingdom. Can the
:03:04. > :03:07.Attorney General clarify whether any of the devolved administration is
:03:08. > :03:13.effectively have a legal beetle of our decision to leave the European
:03:14. > :03:20.Union? I can, and they don't. Can we confirm it will not be called the
:03:21. > :03:26.great repeal bill? I suspect we will find a rather more technical title
:03:27. > :03:31.for the bill when it comes forward. I must admit to being confused by
:03:32. > :03:34.the Attorney General's cancels. Clearly, the great repeal bill, as
:03:35. > :03:41.indicated by the Supreme Court, will affect devolved competencies. Why is
:03:42. > :03:49.the Government hesitant? What will be required for the bill, because it
:03:50. > :03:55.affects the vault competence? This was deciding on a bill that the
:03:56. > :03:58.Government has passed and they hope will receive Royal Ascent shortly.
:03:59. > :04:01.In relation to the contents of this bill, whatever it ends up being
:04:02. > :04:06.called, you will have to be patient and wait to see it. As I set out to
:04:07. > :04:11.his colleagues, I think there is a clear set of expectations as to what
:04:12. > :04:18.will be required and the Government will honour that.
:04:19. > :04:21.Thank you, Mr Speaker. The Crown Prosecution Service did indeed
:04:22. > :04:26.anticipate increases in complex cases such as fraud ahead of the
:04:27. > :04:32.last Spending Review and there was a 14% increase in fraud and forgery
:04:33. > :04:39.cases last year. But, importantly, the conviction rate stayed stable at
:04:40. > :04:47.86%. Frank you for that response. With a third of the workforce cut
:04:48. > :04:51.since 2010, and a stand that is for prosecutors, 1000 administrators and
:04:52. > :04:57.course workers, does the Minister Bull leave the CPS is able to deal
:04:58. > :05:02.with those complex fraud cases? If there is further cuts, will that
:05:03. > :05:08.leave the CPS in a bad state to prosecute? Can I assure the
:05:09. > :05:15.honourable lady of delegation of sources that has increased, not just
:05:16. > :05:18.either in London but across the country in important regional
:05:19. > :05:26.centres. The number will increase to 215 months ahead. We are placing an
:05:27. > :05:29.important priority upon it. Does he agree that the work of the Crown
:05:30. > :05:35.Prosecution Service in this area is very much complimented in cases of
:05:36. > :05:37.very serious economic fraud by the work of the Serious Fraud Office,
:05:38. > :05:42.and that that office has been transformed under the leadership of
:05:43. > :05:52.Baily Green and resulted in the recovery of over half ?1 billion of
:05:53. > :06:01.ill gotten gains. -- of David can-mac green.
:06:02. > :06:08.He is right to highlight the successes of the SF all in quite a
:06:09. > :06:12.millions of taxpayer. -- of DC is fraud office. The model that brings
:06:13. > :06:19.together prosecutors and investigators in one unit works very
:06:20. > :06:26.well. Picking up on the point made by the chairman of the select
:06:27. > :06:32.committee, it is the case, isn't it, that the existence of the Serious
:06:33. > :06:39.Fraud Office reduces pressure on the CPS in terms of prosecuting crime.
:06:40. > :06:42.Can we guarantee that the Serious Fraud Office will continue to exist
:06:43. > :06:49.as it is, and will not be merged into the Crown Prosecution Service
:06:50. > :06:52.all the National Crime Agency? We're under a duty to review at all times
:06:53. > :06:59.the measures we tackle economic crime. It is not just a question of
:07:00. > :07:02.illegality, it is national-security. The Government is right to examine
:07:03. > :07:09.the situation. But I will repeat again, I think the current model
:07:10. > :07:13.works very well. I did not detect a guarantee in that answer. The
:07:14. > :07:17.Solicitor General, one month ago, praised the work of the director of
:07:18. > :07:23.the Serious Fraud Office and tow yard enhanced role of the Serious
:07:24. > :07:26.Fraud Office in national life. I notice he has fine persuasive
:07:27. > :07:29.skills. So if you will not give a guarantee, William least undertake
:07:30. > :07:35.to go and see the Prime Minister to go and speak about the advantages of
:07:36. > :07:44.the Serious Fraud Office having investigated the services -- having
:07:45. > :07:52.investigated services under one roof? I would take this opportunity
:07:53. > :07:57.to praise David Green in leading the Serious Fraud Office. As I said, I
:07:58. > :08:11.will continue to make the case for the Roscoe model.
:08:12. > :08:17.What can the Solicitor General do to ensure that the right people with
:08:18. > :08:24.the right skills are retained by the CPS and the Serious Fraud Office? My
:08:25. > :08:26.honourable friend knows that the Serious Fraud Office has a
:08:27. > :08:31.particular model of funding which means it can be quite flexible when
:08:32. > :08:34.it comes to certain investigations. The important point is we get the
:08:35. > :08:38.right people with the right specific expertise when it comes to
:08:39. > :08:44.particular types of serious fraud. So, flexibility a think is the most
:08:45. > :08:49.important principle. Everyone knows there is a lot of hot money in
:08:50. > :08:56.London residential market, especially coming from Russia. There
:08:57. > :09:01.are extensive reports of regulations with financial advisers. Why has
:09:02. > :09:10.there been so few solutions for money-laundering I share his concern
:09:11. > :09:14.about this. But the provisions of the new criminal advances bill will
:09:15. > :09:19.on hand spells of prosecutors and investigators in going after ill
:09:20. > :09:23.gotten gains with new measures such as unexplained wealth orders. I
:09:24. > :09:31.think that will help deal with the perpetrators of this type of fraud.
:09:32. > :09:35.Number three, Mr Speaker. With your permission, I'll answer
:09:36. > :09:38.this question along with question might. The Prime Minister has
:09:39. > :09:41.restated her personal and the Government's collective commitment
:09:42. > :09:46.to tackling domestic violence and abuse. Something my colleagues and I
:09:47. > :09:49.will work together to take forward. That work blowing good considering
:09:50. > :09:55.how we can support the CPS in bringing prosecutions against
:09:56. > :10:05.perpetrators of domestic violence. -- that work will involve
:10:06. > :10:15.considering. A Sheffield charity has raised concerns with me about the
:10:16. > :10:18.pollen level prosecution rates on FGM violence. There has been no
:10:19. > :10:24.prosecutions on FGM. What will he do about that? I do share his concern
:10:25. > :10:29.about that. The might be aware that there are considerable difficulties
:10:30. > :10:32.in proving his offences in court. That does not mean we should not
:10:33. > :10:36.bring appropriate cases before criminal courts and seek to gain
:10:37. > :10:40.convictions. The Crown Prosecution Service will continue to do that. In
:10:41. > :10:44.relation to domestic violence more broadly, he might know that the
:10:45. > :10:55.prosecutions in terms of volume and conviction rate arc rising on the
:10:56. > :11:00.basis of -- arc rising. He is like to point out specific areas where we
:11:01. > :11:08.need to do better. Survivors of domestic abuse in my constituency
:11:09. > :11:10.tell me that right out of the gate, they can access the commode justice
:11:11. > :11:18.system because they have to be a discretionary feed to... Four legal
:11:19. > :11:21.aid. That can be up to ?175. Will the tummy general consider talking
:11:22. > :11:24.to Department of Health colleagues about whether we can scrap this fee
:11:25. > :11:31.for them? -- will the Secretary General. I will explore the issues
:11:32. > :11:33.he raises. There are a number of different things we need to do to
:11:34. > :11:39.support those who are victims of domestic violence. It is certainly a
:11:40. > :11:42.criminal justice issue. If people are going to access the commode
:11:43. > :11:46.justice system, we need to do as much as we can to make that is
:11:47. > :11:55.easier process as we possibly can for them. We are victims of domestic
:11:56. > :12:00.violence are unable to give evidence, evidence... With the use
:12:01. > :12:03.of body worn cameras, police can give evidence that can secure a
:12:04. > :12:09.conviction even if the victim themselves is not prepared to give
:12:10. > :12:12.evidence. Will the Attorney General work with the Justice Secretary to
:12:13. > :12:22.ensure changes in law with domestic abusers cross-examining witnesses...
:12:23. > :12:24.I agree. You will know that courts in the criminal context already have
:12:25. > :12:31.the authority to stop alleged domestic violence perpetrators from
:12:32. > :12:34.cross-examining directly the alleged victims. The family courts need to
:12:35. > :12:38.have such a power as well. He will know that the Government intends to
:12:39. > :12:41.make sure they do have that power and I understand it will form part
:12:42. > :12:46.of a bill that will come before the House very shortly. With your
:12:47. > :12:51.permission, I will answer this question together with question
:12:52. > :13:00.five. The CPS is prosecuting and convicting more offenders than ever
:13:01. > :13:04.before in a variety of crimes. The CPS is committed to a number of
:13:05. > :13:11.actions between now and 2020 to ensure the effective prosecution of
:13:12. > :13:15.offences. What is CPS doing in the area
:13:16. > :13:18.Derbyshire to ensure that more perpetrators of violence against
:13:19. > :13:24.women and roles are brought to justice? I thanked her for her
:13:25. > :13:31.question. I know that she has great concern about these issues. I happy
:13:32. > :13:40.to say that in the last year, 1805 cases were charged by the CPS, which
:13:41. > :13:43.was a rise from the previous year. The conviction rate is running at
:13:44. > :13:50.4.4% higher than the national average.
:13:51. > :13:52.In Cambridgeshire in 2016 and 2015, there was an increase in a number of
:13:53. > :13:59.convictions for violence against women and girls, up to 1031. What is
:14:00. > :14:04.being done to use technology to improve the gathering of evidence
:14:05. > :14:09.for these crimes? I am grateful to my honourable friend. As the
:14:10. > :14:17.Attorney General has just referred to, the issue of technology is one
:14:18. > :14:23.where the police and CPS and embracing it. I think there will be
:14:24. > :14:26.a transmission of conviction rates and guilty pleas when the evidence
:14:27. > :14:30.will be clear and overwhelming in these cases.
:14:31. > :14:37.Much of the violence against women and children as queues -- is caused
:14:38. > :14:40.by human us. Will the tummy general welcome to daily investment of ?6
:14:41. > :14:47.million by the Home Secretary and fighting modern-day secretary? --
:14:48. > :14:54.will be Attorney General Wellcome the the investment.
:14:55. > :15:00.He knows from his leadership on this issue that if there is a coordinated
:15:01. > :15:03.approach on these problems, victims can be identified and perpetrators
:15:04. > :15:06.brought to justice. This is yet another welcome milestone along the
:15:07. > :15:16.road in our world leadership in these issues. Mr Speaker, the
:15:17. > :15:19.Article 50 litigation concerned an important constitutional issue that
:15:20. > :15:27.it was right for the Supreme Court to consider. That involves five
:15:28. > :15:29.devilish and questions referred by courts in Northern Ireland after the
:15:30. > :15:32.judgment favourable to the Government. The Secretary of State
:15:33. > :15:33.Fraser Dainton European Union is committed to publishing the total
:15:34. > :15:43.cost figures in due course. The Secretary of State for executing
:15:44. > :15:50.the EU has praised article 50 as being some of the best in the
:15:51. > :15:57.chamber so could you attest... To prevent this has having a meaningful
:15:58. > :16:00.debate, was well spent? It's not a waste of public money to explore an
:16:01. > :16:04.issue of this constitutional significance in the highest court of
:16:05. > :16:09.the land and that is what happened. If this were a complete waste of
:16:10. > :16:13.money, three Supreme Court justices would not have found in favour of
:16:14. > :16:17.the Government's arguments. She would also be aware that some of the
:16:18. > :16:21.money spent by the Government was spent in responding to arguments
:16:22. > :16:28.made by the Scottish Government which were rejected unanimously by
:16:29. > :16:31.the Supreme Court. I think that proves you are dammed if you do and
:16:32. > :16:37.you are dammed if you don't with the SNP. Would my right honourable
:16:38. > :16:45.friend agree that a cost on Democratic runcible such as this? I
:16:46. > :16:50.think there is merit in it making sure the highest court in the land
:16:51. > :16:53.has the chance to consider what is a very significant set of
:16:54. > :16:56.constitutional questions. They have done that and produced their
:16:57. > :17:00.judgment. The Government has complied with that judgment on the
:17:01. > :17:08.House of Commons and the House of Lords have passed a bill
:17:09. > :17:11.accordingly. The bribery act failing to prevent offences holding
:17:12. > :17:14.corporate offenders to account for criminal activity and we are
:17:15. > :17:19.introducing a new offence of failing to prevent tax evasion. The
:17:20. > :17:23.Government has published a call for evidence to explore the options for
:17:24. > :17:31.further reform including extending the failure to prevent effects.
:17:32. > :17:46.Would you look at the way Buba operates -- Uber operates.
:17:47. > :17:54.I listened to my honourable friend's question with concern as I've said,
:17:55. > :17:57.there will be a new corporate offence failure to prevent tax
:17:58. > :18:11.evasion. If there is evidence of criminality, I urge others to report
:18:12. > :18:14.these matters to the police. I have regular meetings with the director
:18:15. > :18:18.of prosecutions where a variety of issues are discussed. The CPS takes
:18:19. > :18:25.these issues very seriously and I believe the chief prosecutor for the
:18:26. > :18:39.East Midlands have recently met with others to discuss this matter.
:18:40. > :18:50.What is the CPS is doing to make sure prosecutions of Hare chasing is
:18:51. > :18:56.successful? Representing a rural constituency, I know the honourable
:18:57. > :19:01.lady is dealing with this issue to try to combat it. Each CPS area has
:19:02. > :19:05.a wildlife coordinator so the knowledge needed to prosecute these
:19:06. > :19:09.offences is readily available and the CPS works closely with the
:19:10. > :19:17.police and other wildlife communities in order to tackle this
:19:18. > :19:23.serious scourge. It is the long-standing position of successive
:19:24. > :19:25.UK Government that a state may use force in self defence for armed
:19:26. > :19:30.attacks but also to prevent and which is imminent. In each exercise
:19:31. > :19:35.of the use of force in self defence, UK asks itself questions such as,
:19:36. > :19:38.how certain is it an attack will come, how soon do we believe an
:19:39. > :19:42.attack could be, what scale of attack could this be our last
:19:43. > :19:49.opportunity to take action, and is there anything else we could
:19:50. > :19:52.credibly do to prevent that attack? The Attorney General for that
:19:53. > :19:53.answer. There is an important difference between the threats we
:19:54. > :19:57.face now and the threats which have face now and the threats which have
:19:58. > :20:03.not materialised but we may deliver David -- which may develop later.
:20:04. > :20:07.There is a difference between those two things and what I have sought to
:20:08. > :20:12.make clear is what the UK Government is saying it has authority under the
:20:13. > :20:15.law to do is to respond to threats which have emerged, not to threats
:20:16. > :20:23.which may yet emerge in the future but have not yet done so. Business
:20:24. > :20:32.question. Could I ask the Leader of the House to give the House the
:20:33. > :20:38.forthcoming business. The business for next week will be as follows.
:20:39. > :20:44.Monday the 20th of March, second reading of the prisons and courts
:20:45. > :20:48.bill. 21st of March, remaining status of the intellectual property
:20:49. > :20:54.unjustified threats bill. Followed by a general debate on fuel poverty.
:20:55. > :20:59.22nd of March, remaining stages of the pension schemes bill, Lords,
:21:00. > :21:06.followed by a debate on exiting the European Union and global trade.
:21:07. > :21:11.Thursday 23rd March, debate on a motion of compensation for Equitable
:21:12. > :21:15.Life policy holders. Followed by a debate on the motion of the social
:21:16. > :21:16.mobility and state of