Speeches by Reeves.

“There is also an inspectorate that will inspect the SFO. Again, I meet regularly with the chief inspector. I will have quite frank conversations with the inspector about what is and is not working on disclosure issues. There was a recent report on the use of counsel that the inspectorate carried out. I will work with t…”

“Sure.”

“The SFO is operationally independent. It takes decisions on cases. It would not be right for us to get involved. In the case that was unable to go ahead, we would not, as Law Officers, get involved in that decision making. That is for the SFO as a prosecuting body. We meet regularly with the SFO, the director and other…”

“Thanks for that. In terms of the CPS role, I know it has been working with the police. I had a question about this at the last oral questions a couple of weeks ago. I know that the CPS worked with the Met over a number of years. As you rightly say, it is almost 10 years since the tragedy at Grenfell Tower. I also know …”

“This is really important, and I was very determined to push it forward. There has been a lot of campaigning over the years, in particular by bereaved family members who apply to the scheme late. The campaigner who comes to mind is Tracey Hanson, whose son Josh was murdered. She was not informed about the scheme. She ha…”

“That is right.”

“I thank the hon. Gentleman for that question—I know that he is a huge champion on these issues. I was really pleased to secure that £5 million investment to enable victims of domestic abuse in the Crown court to be offered meetings with the prosecution team before a case gets to trial and to have the benefit of dedicat…”

“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 will remain a corners…”

“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, and that is not affe…”

“The impact assessment, taken with the investment in the system, suggests that around 27,000 Crown court sitting days a year will be saved from 2028-29, speeding up justice for victims. The Institute for Government has agreed that the modelling is sound. That is likely to save about 20%, in terms of time.”

“As I set out, we inherited a courts system in crisis, with victims waiting years for their cases to get to court. We have all heard the stories of rape victims waiting three or four years for their cases to get to court. That is unacceptable, and it is why inaction is not an option, and why we have invested over £2.5 b…”

“I will take away the hon. Lady’s comments, discuss them with Justice Ministers and confirm the position to her in writing.”

“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 get a pre-trial meeti…”

“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 who come forward. If h…”

“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 great achievements of …”

“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 ensure that the syste…”

“It is good to hear about those successful cases in Northern Ireland. There may be lessons to be learned from those, so I am happy to look into the detail and work with the hon. Gentleman.”

“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 and are heard. In Apri…”

“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 their right to request…”

“I thank my hon. Friend for highlighting some of the steps already taken to support victims of rape and serious sexual violence. I am particularly proud of the introduction of independent legal advisers, which is something I worked on in opposition. It was a manifesto commitment, and I am pleased to see the Government d…”