Ellie Reeves MP: speeches

Speeches

• 18 Dec 2025 · Rural Crime · Hansard source

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  The hon. Lady is right to raise this important issue. It is important that we look at all the ways to tackle rural crime and that those crimes are successfully prosecuted, such as by implementing the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023, which aims to prevent the theft and resale of high-value equipment, particularly for use in an agricultural setting. We are also committed to funding the national rural and wildlife crime units with more than £800,000, to allow them to continue to provide their important work on intelligence, analysis and investigation to assist forces and other law enforcement agencies across the UK in investigating rural crime.

• 18 Dec 2025 · Rural Crime · Hansard source

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  Every community deserves to feel safe and protected. Our rural and farming communities face distinct and often targeted threats from criminals, which is why the Government are taking decisive action to address these challenges, with tougher powers for the police to tackle antisocial behaviour and prevent farm theft and fly-tipping. Additionally, the Crown Prosecution Service has revived its community engagement forum on rural crime and will be bringing together key stakeholders to discuss the action required in January 2026.

• 18 Dec 2025 · Rural Crime · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is a strong advocate for tackling violence against women and girls in his constituency and beyond. He is right that we need to see swifter justice, which is why we are investing in the criminal courts with £500 million extra funding to support victims, 5,000 more sitting days and a package of support and reform to ensure that these cases get to court quickly so that justice can be served.

• 13 Nov 2025 · Rural Crime · Hansard source

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  Rural crime can destroy our landscapes, jeopardise businesses and, over time, break down communities. This Government are committed to cracking down on crime and disorder in rural areas, through tougher powers on antisocial behaviour, farm theft, and fly-tipping. The Crown Prosecution Service has appointed a national rural crime lead, and last month it brought together prosecutors from across the country to ensure a co-ordinated approach to prosecution.

• 13 Nov 2025 · Rural Crime · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising that important issue. I will certainly pick up the issue of police response with Home Office colleagues. The Government are committed to implementing the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023, which aims to prevent the theft and resale of high-value equipment, particularly for use in an agricultural setting. The National Police Chiefs’ Council wildlife and rural crime strategy provides a framework through which policing and its partners can work together, to tackle the most prevalent threats and emerging issues that predominantly affect rural communities.

• 13 Nov 2025 · Rural Crime · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for raising that important point about county lines. The CPS has significantly increased its provision of early advice for county lines cases, working with law enforcement to ensure that all cases are as strong as possible. The CPS has prosecution guidance on county lines, which provides an overview of the approach to be taken in criminal investigations and prosecutions, as well as practical advice on decision making in gang-related offences and on building the strongest possible case. The Crime and Policing Bill will introduce two new offences that are relevant in this area: those of child criminal exploitation and cuckooing.

• 13 Nov 2025 · Rural Crime · Hansard source

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  I set out some of the measures that this Government are taking to tackle rural crime, but I am happy to take up that issue with the Secretary of State for Scotland to see what more cross-border work can be done.

• 13 Nov 2025 · Rural Crime · Hansard source

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  I am sorry to hear about the terrible experience of my hon. Friend’s constituent, and I recognise the significant impact that the theft of equipment has on farmers, both financially and on their wellbeing. The Government recently announced an £800,000 funding boost for the national rural crime unit and national wildlife crime unit. Those dedicated police units will increase collaboration across police forces, and harness the latest technology and data to target the serious organised crime groups that are involved in farm equipment theft.

• 13 Nov 2025 · Support for Victims of Crime · Hansard source

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  This Government are committed to halving violence against women and girls, and that is my No. 1 priority as Solicitor General. The barriers that victims of rape and serious sexual violence face in this country are unacceptable, and the CPS is committed to improving its performance. These efforts are beginning to have an impact. Referral volumes for adult rape are on a sustained upward trend, and in the last quarter conviction volumes were at their highest level since 2016.

• 13 Nov 2025 · Support for Victims of Crime · Hansard source

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  I answered an urgent question in this House a few weeks ago on the China case, which I expect the right hon. Gentleman is referring to. The Government have already made it clear that they are deeply disappointed in the outcome of that case. As has already been confirmed by the CPS and senior Treasury counsel, the decision to offer no evidence in the case was made by the CPS without political influence, including from me or any other Law Officer. As the Attorney General has outlined in some detail in evidence he gave in a recent Committee hearing, where a case can no longer proceed because of evidential reasons, as happened in this case, the requirement is that the CPS informs the Attorney General of the decision as soon as it is taken.

• 13 Nov 2025 · Support for Victims of Crime · Hansard source

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  I know the hon. Gentleman is a big champion on this issue. Victims of economic abuse face real challenges in getting justice, and he is right to draw attention to that issue. Legal aid is a matter for the Ministry of Justice, but I will commit to speaking with my ministerial colleagues on this issue and providing the hon. Gentleman with a full written response.

• 13 Nov 2025 · Support for Victims of Crime · Hansard source

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  I am very sorry to hear about the experience of the hon. Gentleman’s constituent, and I am sure our thoughts are with them. This Government inherited a justice system in crisis, with a record and rising Crown court caseload. Next year, we will fund the Crown courts to run at record levels to tackle the outstanding caseload, by funding 110,000 sitting days. The independent review of the criminal courts considered how to improve overall criminal court efficiency to provide swifter justice for victims, including victims of sexual offences. The CPS has introduced victim liaison officers in RASSO units to offer extra support to victims, particularly when they are facing delays to their trials.

• 13 Nov 2025 · Support for Victims of Crime · Hansard source

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  The issue of support for victims is particularly fresh in my mind, as I visited one of the CPS’s rape and serious sexual offences units in the west midlands just a few weeks ago. I heard at first hand about the important work that victim liaison officers in the CPS are doing to support victims through their experience of the criminal justice system—on which I have pressed the CPS. It is ensuring that its communications with victims are of the highest possible standard—that letters have empathy and are the best that they possibly can be. I will continue to monitor that closely.

• 13 Nov 2025 · Support for Victims of Crime · Hansard source

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  This Government place the experience of victims at the very heart of the justice system and are determined to restore their faith in the system. I want to acknowledge the sad passing of Baroness Newlove, who worked tirelessly for victims. Through its victim transformation programme, the CPS is reshaping its service to victims. I recently visited a rape and serious sexual offences—RASSO—unit in the west midlands and heard first hand about the work that victim liaison officers do to offer crucial support. I am pleased that the service is now being piloted to victims of domestic abuse as well.

• 13 Nov 2025 · Serious Fraud Office: Economic Crime · Hansard source

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  On 9 September, the Serious Fraud Office secured £1.1 million from the sale of a Lake district house in an investigation involving its first use of an unexplained wealth order, connected to the assets of the wife of convicted fraudster Timothy Schools. This innovative use of the legislation showcases the SFO’s resolve to pursue criminal assets wherever they are hidden and explore new methods to recover funds for victims and the public purse.

• 13 Nov 2025 · Serious Fraud Office: Economic Crime · Hansard source

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  I am grateful for that question. The Serious Fraud Office is constantly looking at ways to clamp down on fraud and economic crime. For example, the SFO is committed to working more closely with French and Swiss partners through the international anti-corruption prosecutorial taskforce, to ensure that we are robustly tackling cross-border economic crime, and to protect our future prosperity as part of our plan for change.

• 13 Nov 2025 · Serious Fraud Office: Economic Crime · Hansard source

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  Since April 2020, the SFO has recovered over £550 million from criminals for the UK taxpayer, but this Government want to go further and are investing millions in expanding the SFO’s capabilities. Under our plan for change, we will crack down on fraud and ensure that crime does not pay.

• 13 Nov 2025 · Violence against Women and Girls · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for Woking (Mr Forster) for raising an extremely serious and tragic case. It is important that it has been raised in the House. I will certainly look at those recommendations closely and ensure that he gets a meeting with me or the relevant Minister.

• 13 Nov 2025 · Violence against Women and Girls · Hansard source

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  I thank Restore for its excellent work—the organisation has been diligently supporting victims of domestic abuse for decades now. Under the joint justice plan, CPS areas and police forces have worked together to tailor their response to domestic abuse, addressing local priorities and community needs, including those in rural areas. In the new year, police and CPS will hold a joint knowledge-sharing event on domestic abuse in rural areas, to build improved understanding of the barriers these victims often face.

• 13 Nov 2025 · Violence against Women and Girls · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for raising the tragic case of Tony Hudgell. I know that his parents, along with the right hon. Member for Tonbridge (Tom Tugendhat), who is no longer in his place, have campaigned tirelessly for Tony and his family. I am very sorry to hear about Paula’s diagnosis, and I am sure that the thoughts of the House are with her and the family. I will take this matter away and do everything I can, along with Home Office and Justice Ministers, and we will respond in full to the points raised by the hon. Lady.

• 13 Nov 2025 · Violence against Women and Girls · Hansard source

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  For several years now, the CPS has maintained a high and steady charge rate of around 80%, and a conviction rate of 75%. This Government are taking radical action to ensure that more cases come into the system and progress through it. We have introduced Raneem’s law, which embeds domestic abuse specialists in 999 control rooms, and have launched domestic abuse protection orders, which go further than any other order to protect victims.

• 13 Nov 2025 · Violence against Women and Girls · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for raising a—

• 13 Nov 2025 · Violence against Women and Girls · Hansard source

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  Tackling violence against women and girls is a top priority for this Government and for me. With the Crown Prosecution Service, I am utterly determined to drive improvements in performance across the breadth of VAWG offences. On domestic abuse, the CPS launched its joint justice plan with policing in November 2024. Over the last year, that has led to a 10% increase in charge volumes and a 7% increase in conviction volumes. Before the end of the year, the CPS plans externally to launch its own VAWG strategy, which aims to drive similar improvements across other VAWG offences.

• 13 Nov 2025 · Violence against Women and Girls · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend’s question provides another example of the enormously important work that organisations such as NDAS do to support survivors of domestic abuse. I welcome Sharon to the Gallery today, and pay tribute to her and her colleagues. I would be delighted to meet her and my hon. Friend to discuss what more can be done to support victims in rural areas, particularly with our CPS colleagues.

• 13 Nov 2025 · Violence against Women and Girls · Hansard source

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  The right hon. Gentleman raises a really serious and important case; I am sure the thoughts of the House are with the victims. As he is aware, I cannot speak to cases in which there are live criminal investigations, but I am grateful to him for raising this extremely important issue, which I and other ministerial colleagues are following closely.