Speeches by Cox.

“You will be aware that the public have a great concern around sexual offences prosecutions and the rates of prosecution, all these questions. The Law Commission has recently looked at this and has come up with recommendations on the presentation of evidence in sexual offence prosecutions. Would you comment on some of t…”

“How, given the discussion around section 28, will the MOJ be moving forward with it?”

“That is very helpful, thank you.”

“Thank you very much, Baroness Newlove. I will invite Professor Hohl to come in on the question of the extent to which people feel informed about engaging with the process.”

“Baroness Newlove and Professor Hohl, how is this working for victims and witnesses themselves from that perspective? How far do you feel that they are now more fully informed about the decisions around special measures that are right for them?”

“Just to recap, in your experience this has improved over time and that is encouraging to hear.”

“If I could bring us back to the principles at stake here, taking full account of the practicalities and the challenges that you have mentioned, the principle of section 28 is around ensuring that victims, complainants and witnesses give their best evidence. It is an access to justice question. I would like to ask Chris…”

“Good afternoon. I am Pam Cox, MP for Colchester, and my interests are declared on the register but I would draw attention to the fact that I chair the APPG on penal affairs.”

“It would be worth finding that out definitively, I think.”

“Without prolonging that discussion too long, I am a little concerned to hear you say that you think Professor Thomas’s workings have not been shared. This is, as I understand it, also a peer-reviewed study conducted by a very respected organisation. Is it the case that her methodology is not in the public domain? I wou…”

“Very quickly, I am not hearing anybody say this should not continue. I am hearing methodological differences, and as a former social scientist I appreciate that. I am hearing implementation and practicality pressure. I am not hearing anybody say this should not continue. Would that be a fair assessment?”

“7. What steps she has taken with the Crown Prosecution Service to support victims of crime. [R]”

“I recently visited a Colchester organisation, the Centre for Action on Rape and Abuse, or CARA, which offers vital support to victims of rape and sexual abuse. Will the Solicitor General reaffirm the Government’s commitment to supporting such organisations, which carry out so much of that vital frontline work, and will…”

“On your reading of the brief so far, do you feel that those powers are sufficient? Are there areas that give you any cause for concern at present?”

“Good afternoon. I am Pam Cox, the Member for Colchester. My interests are as declared, and I am the chair of the APPG on penal affairs.”

“Thank you very much for joining us this afternoon. We have some questions about the role and functions of the position. The Standing Advocate is a new role, and some people will not have heard about it. How would you summarise it in a nutshell for the public?”

“What specific powers will the holder of the role be able to exercise in relation to those things?”

“You have twice used the phrase “an unflinching voice for victims”, so it is clearly uppermost in your mind. Have you had a chance to consult victims’ organisations about the kinds of services and follow-up that might be needed in the role?”

“We will follow up on Hillsborough in a bit more detail in a moment. How is a major incident defined in the legislation, and what might a major incident entail?”

“Thank you very much.”