§ Mr. Leeasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now arrange for discussions with appropriate authorities with a view to the introduction of the court procedure known as a trialwithin-a-trial for the evaluation of defence applications to cross-examine rape offence complainants on their sex relations with persons other than the defendant, pursuant to the promise given to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Handsworth during the passage of the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1976; and, if he is unable to do so, if he will make a statement giving his reasons.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesWe do not consider that any further consultations are at present necessary.
§ Mr. Leeasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the total number of rape complaints notified to the police more than 24 hours after the alleged offence was committed, other than by complainants unable to complain by reason of injury, illness, personal fear or other disability, during the past five years; in how many cases the period of delay in making a complaint was greater than seven days; and what was the maximum period for such a complaint in respect of a complaint accepted by the police for investigation and possible prosecution;
(2) in what percentage of the total rape convictions recorded during the past five years the defendants were discovered to be known previously to the complainants and in what percentage of such cases they were totally unknown;
(3) if he will obtain and publish the number of prosecutions during the past five years for rape and for indecent assault started as a result of complaints by female cohabitees against their male partners during the currency of common law relationships between them, giving the 515W number of cases where such prosecutions led to conviction; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesNone of this information is collected centrally, and what is obtainable could not be collated centrally without disproportionate cost.