§ 33. Mrs. Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby)What steps she is taking to ensure that there is consistency of approach between each Crown Prosecution Service area in respect of the (a) scrutiny and (b) credibility checks undertaken by the staff of the CPS in relation to sex abuse cases. [40755]
§ The Solicitor-General (Ms Harriet Harman)All case files received by the CPS are individually reviewed in accordance with the code for Crown prosecutors. The code is there to ensure fairness and consistency in case work decision making. It applies to cases involving sex abuse as it does to any other sort of case. Crown prosecutors are trained in how to apply the code, they are supervised in their work and they are inspected by Her Majesty's CPS inspectorate.
§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasThe Minister will be aware of my significant interest in the activities of the CPS which arises from my role as chairman of the committee for abuse investigations. Although I appreciate her comments about the consistency of procedures, my concern is whether there is any evidence that the procedures have not only efficient results but just and efficacious outcomes.
§ The Solicitor-GeneralAs my hon. Friend says, I am well aware of her long-standing interest in the prosecution 1012 of sex offences involving children in care homes. I am aware also that in response to her work in the field, the Home Affairs Committee is to set up an investigation into these issues. Certainly the CPS wants fair outcomes as well as efficient investigations. I urge her to take up the invitation of John Holt, the chief Crown prosecutor in her area, Merseyside, to talk to some of the front-line prosecutors involved in investigating and prosecuting these very difficult cases. She will be reassured by the level-headed approach that they take to these difficult, sensitive issues.