§ Vera BairdTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps he is taking to ensure that judges receive equivalent training about rape offences to that recommended for police and prosecutors by the HMIC/CPSI thematic inquiry into rape. [65213]
§ Yvette CooperJudicial Training is the responsibility of the Judicial Studies Board (JSB) which is an independent non-departmental public body. It is chaired by Lord Justice Waller.
The Board provides specialist training to those judges authorised to hear cases of rape through its regular Serious Sexual Offences Seminars.
The Criminal Committee of the JSB will be considering the comments made in the Joint Inspectors' Report over the coming months.
§ Vera BairdTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps he will take to ensure that the recommendations of the Sentencing Advisory Panel on rape are implemented by the judiciary. [65210]
§ Yvette CooperThe decision on whether or not to issue guidelines based on the Sentencing Advisory Panel's advice to the Court of Appeal is for that Court.