Fourthly, we have reformed and clarified disclosure rules, and are working with the police to make sure that victims’ mobile phones are examined only where strictly necessary.įifthly, we are reducing the stress of intrusive requests for third-party information-for example, medical or social services records-and are working with the police and the CPS on ensuring that they are gathered only when relevant. That will be completed in the first half of next year, and it will mean that the police focus on the suspect’s behaviour, rather than on the victim’s credibility. Thirdly, suspect-focused investigations-this is known as Operation Soteria-are being rolled out nationally. That will help to prevent more victims from being retraumatised by the experience of giving evidence in a live trial. Secondly, we are rolling out pre-recorded cross-examination for rape victims to all Crown courts nationally. We have quadrupled the funding for victim support since Labour was in power-it will rise to £192 million by 2024-25-and we are increasing the number of independent sexual and domestic violence advisers to more than 1,000 by 2024-25. That is why we have identified eight levers that are driving the change. That is encouraging, but it is just the start. Timeliness is improving the time between a charge being brought and cases being completed continues to fall-it is down five weeks since the peak in June last year. Rape convictions are increasing: there has been a 67% increase since 2020. The police are referring more cases to the Crown Prosecution Service, and the CPS is charging more cases. More victims are reporting cases to the police. We are under no illusions about the scale of the challenge, but we are starting to see early signs of progress. Last year, in the end-to-end rape review, the Government committed to more than doubling the number of adult rape cases reaching court by the end of this Parliament. Friend for posing this important question.
SAMUEL JOHNSON HASTEN DOWN THE WIND FULL
If the Chancellor will not provide more money to the Scottish Government, will he give us the full powers so that we can do that?
SAMUEL JOHNSON HASTEN DOWN THE WIND FREE
The Scottish Government have already made bus travel free for under-22s, but we are at the limits of what we can do, because of that fixed budget and because of those real-term cuts to the block grant. That is an independent country using its powers to ease the burden on commuters. Ireland, for example, has cut public transport fares to allow people to save money on ticket and petrol prices, while those have soared under this Chancellor’s Administration. Inflation is a global problem, but individual Governments can make it easier for people to make ends meet. We have a balanced budget in Scotland every year, which says a lot about the Scottish Government than his Government. We do not have the levers that he has to increase budgets, yet we operate on that incredibly well.
The Chancellor knows fine well that the Scottish Parliament, along with the other devolved Administrations, operates on a fixed budget.
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