Speeches by Rigby.

“As I said, these are more properly matters for the Legal Aid Agency and the Ministry of Justice. On the broader point that you raise, Warinder, I would agree, and I have heard directly, that the shortage of counsel in RASSO cases is a problem and its impacts ripple through the criminal justice system.”

“I have not as yet, but, as I said, I am speaking to people in organisations in my own constituency, and I am sure that these issues will continue to come up, because, as I said, the Government are committed to ensuring the sustainability of the legal aid sector.”

“The statistic that you have highlighted is concerning. This is an issue more properly for the MOJ, but section 28 is used with judicial discretion. The CPS would say that there are clear and good reasons why it can be advantageous in particular circumstances to record evidence more contemporaneously. That is all the mo…”

“That is more properly a matter for the Ministry of Justice as to how it wants to take account of that statistic.”

“As the Attorney General made reference to previously, our client in our role of Law Officers is the Government and Ministers, not Kim Leadbeater in the context of this Bill or, indeed, any other private Member’s Bill. I know from experience that some of those involved in the drafting of private Members’ Bills and those…”

“It is important that, in our role as Law Officers, our client is the Government and our Ministers rather than individual Members of Parliament who may or may not bring forward private Members’ Bills. I do not know specifically in relation to this Bill whether there was legal input in the drafting. There may well have b…”

“I am very sorry to hear of the incident in the right hon. Member’s constituency; that is indeed appalling. It is vital for this type of conduct to be taken seriously, and policing is key to that. We need more police officers and police community support officers, which is why, as part of our plan for change, we have pr…”

“My hon. Friend is absolutely right. He has been working on this issue with survivors of economic abuse, and I know that he cares about it very deeply. Domestic abuse can take many insidious forms, and we must do everything we can to ensure that we are equipped to spot it and tackle it. The guidance to which he refers w…”

“My hon. Friend makes a powerful point. Many of our constituents will have gone through the same pain as his. That is why we are taking strong action on knife crime, banning lethal weapons and working to ensure that dangerous blades do not end up in the wrong hands. This September, it became illegal to possess zombie-st…”

“My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise this important matter. Knife-enabled robberies surged under the previous Government, which is why the Home Secretary has made tackling these offences an urgent priority. Enforcement is key, and that is why we are putting police back on the beat with a named officer for every …”

“Mr Speaker, I will start by taking this opportunity to wish you, your team and Members across the House a very merry Christmas. Every single victim of knife crime is one too many, and this Christmas there will be some constituents, including my own, facing the heartbreaking reality of a loved one who is no longer with …”

“The hon. Gentleman raises an important point. We are strengthening the law and the criminal justice system to improve prosecutions for violence against women and girls, and to better support victims.”

“I am grateful to the shadow Solicitor General for her kind words. She brings an awful lot of experience and expertise to her role, and I look forward to working constructively with her. She raises the issue of violence against women and girls, and refers to Crown court sitting days. I said earlier that I am very please…”

“Timeliness is clearly key, and the hon. Lady is absolutely right to refer to our commitment to halving violence against women and girls within a decade. We will take urgent action, building on the urgent action we have already taken. In November, for example, pilots of the new domestic abuse protection orders began wit…”

“Freight crime poses significant challenges to the logistics and transport sectors, affecting businesses, communities and our economy. This Government recognise the importance of addressing this issue, and the Crown Prosecution Service will always seek to prosecute serious offending when the relevant legal tests are met…”

“I know my hon. Friend has formidable knowledge and expertise in these matters, which she raises very effectively on behalf of her constituents. We are clear that freight crime is a serious threat, and the Government are working closely with the police, the automotive industry and the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence…”

“I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his question, and I know how much work he did in this area prior to his election to this place. Criminal gangs must not be allowed to undermine our border security by illegally bringing people into this country. That is why this Government are committed to smashing the gangs. We have…”

“This Government have pledged to halve violence against women and girls within a decade as part of our plan for change, and securing prosecutions will be key to that. Our commitment to tackling violence against women and girls in this way is unprecedented, and it will require a wholesale change in how we think about and…”

“I am grateful to the hon. Member for his kind words, and I look forward to appearing before his Committee on 15 January. He is right to say that we need to be doing much more to support victims. He alluded to the review of the Crown courts; he will also know that the Lord Chancellor is taking steps to reduce the Crown …”

“My hon. Friend makes a very important point. Quite simply, the previous Government lost control of our borders. That is why we need a much tougher approach, learning from the success of our world-leading counter-terror measures. Our border security, asylum and immigration Bill will create new, stronger powers for law e…”