Skip to main content

Written question asked by Lord Blencathra (Conservative), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Wallace of Tankerness (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 2 April 2014.


Female Genital Mutilation

Question

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will instruct the Crown Prosecution Service to bring prosecutions relating to all cases of female genital mutilation reported in London since 2009.[HL6240]

Answer

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is committed to tackling cases of female genital mutilation (FGM), however it can only prosecute cases referred to it by the police which meet both of the tests outlined in the Code for Crown Prosecutors.

The Code sets out a two stage test which must be applied when deciding whether a case should be prosecuted. The first stage is the evidential test which requires prosecutors to be satisfied that there is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction. If the evidential stage of the test is met prosecutors must then go on to identify the relevant public interest factors tending for and against the prosecution in order to form an overall assessment of whether a prosecution is in the public interest.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL6240; 753 c195WA
Session
2013-14
Subjects
Greater London Female genital mutilation Prosecutions
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk