Thursday Volume 618 8 December 2016 No. 78 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Thursday 8 December 2016 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2016 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 349 8 DECEMBER 2016 350 Mr Speaker: I call James Cleverly. Not here. I assume House of Commons the hon. Gentleman was notified of the intended grouping. In that case, where on earth is the fella? Thursday 8 December 2016 Robert Neill (Bromley and Chislehurst) (Con): On the train. The House met at half-past Nine o’clock Mr Speaker: No doubt. PRAYERS Seema Kennedy: Can my hon. and learned Friend tell me a bit more about what the Crown Prosecution [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] Service is doing to prosecute this type of offence in the north-west of England? Oral Answers to Questions The Solicitor General: I note my hon. Friend’s interest as a north-west MP, and I am happy to tell her that under the new modern slavery offence, eight charges ATTORNEY GENERAL were laid in the north-west region and eight offences in the Mersey-Cheshire region, plus other offences under older legislation, in the past year. Only last month three The Attorney General was asked— people were convicted of modern-day slavery and human Modern Slavery trafficking in Liverpool and were sentenced to a total of seven years and three months’ imprisonment. 1. Andrew Stephenson (Pendle) (Con): What steps the Government are taking to increase the number of Mr David Hanson (Delyn) (Lab): Many of the prosecutions for modern slavery. [907734] prosecutions were the result of the European arrest warrant playing an important part. Will the Solicitor The Solicitor General (Robert Buckland): We have the General, with the Home Office, ensure that the European strongest legal framework in the world, including the arrest warrant remains a useful tool, whatever the outcome Modern Slavery Act 2015, which came into force in July of Brexit negotiations? last year. The Law Officers are supporting the Prime Minister’s taskforce on modern slavery, and the Crown The Solicitor General: The right hon. Gentleman is Prosecution Service continues to see a year-on-year right to note the huge importance of the European increase in the numbers of prosecutions. arrest warrant in streamlining the process. That, together with other tools to encourage close co-operation not Mr Speaker: I think the hon. and learned Gentleman only between countries in the EU but more widely seeks to group Question 1 with Questions 6 and 8. abroad, is a vital means by which we can deal with what is an international crime. The Solicitor General: Forgive me, Mr Speaker. I make that application to group the questions in that Margaret Ferrier (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) order. (SNP): The Modern Slavery Act review published a few months ago noted that although it is national Crown 6. James Cleverly (Braintree) (Con): What steps the Prosecution Service policy that all trafficking and Government are taking to increase the number of exploitation cases be referred to the complex casework prosecutions for modern slavery. [907740] unit, in practice the policy is not always followed. What 8. Seema Kennedy (South Ribble) (Con): What steps subsequent measures have been put in place to reduce the Government are taking to increase the number of the number of cases that could slip through the cracks prosecutions for modern slavery. [907742] in that way? Mr Speaker: Good; and the hon. Gentleman may be The Solicitor General: The hon. Lady is right to point learned, but if not, I am sure it is only a matter of time. out that important review, which I am glad to say is forming a key part of the Prime Minister’s taskforce. At Andrew Stephenson: One of the main areas of modern all levels, proper emphasis is being placed on the serious slavery that we are uncovering in Lancashire is the nature of this type of offending. Let us not forget that trafficking and subsequent sexual exploitation of women. other types of offence that encompass such behaviour Often these victims will not come forward because they need to be dealt with as well, so the complex case unit are being controlled through fear and violence. What has a key and increasingly important role in the prosecution more can my hon. and learned Friend do to support of such crime. vulnerable women through the process? Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con): The Solicitor The Solicitor General: My hon. Friend is right to General is responsible for the prosecution of traffickers, raise that issue. The CPS has been instrumental in not for the detection of them or for their sentencing. developing special measures to help people with What are the main barriers to his securing successful vulnerabilities to give evidence, such as the pre-recording prosecutions? of cross-examination, ground rules hearings that are held ahead of the trial in order to avoid inappropriate The Solicitor General: My hon. Friend is right to say questions, and evidence via remote link. All such measures that these are challenging offences. The problem is that help to increase confidence that support will be there very often the victims of this type of crime take a while for victims. to realise that they are in that position. When they come 351 Oral Answers 8 DECEMBER 2016 Oral Answers 352 forward, they want a consistent approach from the The Solicitor General (Robert Buckland): We are authorities that gives them support when they come to committed to tackling hate crime in any form. Forgive give evidence. That is the emphasis of the CPS and me, Mr Speaker, may I apply for this question to be other agencies, and with that increasing support we are grouped with Questions 5 and 7? The numbering has seeing those barriers increasingly being removed. changed. Nick Thomas-Symonds (Torfaen) (Lab) rose— 5. Sir David Amess (Southend West) (Con): What steps the Government are taking to increase the number Mr Speaker: It is very good to see the hon. Gentleman of prosecutions for hate crime. [907739] back in his place. 7. Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con): What steps the Nick Thomas-Symonds: Thank you, Mr Speaker. The Government are taking to increase the number of independent review commissioned by the Prime Minister prosecutions for hate crime. [907741] that the Solicitor General has referred to expressed concern about the insufficient quality and quantity of The Solicitor General: As I was saying, Mr Speaker, intelligence at national, regional and international level, the cross-Government hate crime action plan, published which it is said hampers our operational response. What in July 2016, focuses on the reduction of hate crime, the steps does the Solicitor General think can be taken to increasing of reporting, and ensuring that all criminal ensure that our exit from the European Union does not justice partners deliver the appropriate outcomes for further hamper our operational response? victims. The Solicitor General: May I first welcome the hon. Mr Speaker: I realise that, as a distinguished lawyer, Gentleman back to his place at what is a very challenging the hon. and learned Gentleman’s speciality is words— time for his family? We give him our very best wishes. preferably a large number of them—rather than numbers. The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to talk about international working. He will be glad to know that the David Rutley: Like many others in the Chamber, I taskforce, in the form of the National Crime Agency was very concerned about the spike in the number of and the other agencies, is placing heavy emphasis on the racial and religiously aggravated offences after the need to improve that intelligence gathering. When our referendum. Will my hon. and learned Friend please tell exit from the EU happens, I firmly believe there will be the House whether that trend has continued in recent mechanisms in place to ensure that that important work months? carries on unimpeded, whether by way of mutual legal assistance or some of the other mechanisms we have The Solicitor General: My hon. Friend is right to opted into, which will no doubt be an important part of raise this issue. I think we were all concerned about the the negotiation in the months ahead. spike that clearly occurred after the referendum. The total number of racial and religiously aggravated offences Nick Thomas-Symonds: I am very grateful to the reported in July this year was 41% higher than in the Solicitor General for his kind words and good wishes to previous year, but I am happy to report that the number my family at this time. of such reported offences has now declined and is at The Solicitor General has set out that our membership similar levels to before the referendum. of the European Union gives us access to a toolkit, including the European arrest warrant, which was Sir David Amess: Will my hon. and learned Friend mentioned by my right hon. Friend the Member for look carefully at the law relating to abusive and offensive Delyn (Mr Hanson), and which the Director of Public online posts? Often when I look at the remarks that are Prosecutions referred to as absolutely vital. However, made, particularly when someone has died, I find it there is also access to agencies such as Eurojust, where quite incredible that newspapers host them, and I think we have one of the busiest desks. What will the Solicitor these cowards should have their names and addresses General do to ensure that we quickly negotiate a new printed along with the offensive posts.