Crime: Victims
The question
To ask the Solicitor General, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Victims’ Right to Review scheme.
Answered by Ellie Reeves
The Victims’ Right to Review (VRR) Scheme is an important safeguard in England and Wales which enables victims to seek a review of certain CPS decisions not to start a prosecution or to stop a prosecution.
Access to the VRR Scheme has been deliberately designed to be as simple as possible, with no reasons or justification for requesting a review required.
To ensure victims are aware of their entitlements, in all correspondence where a decision is taken to stop a case, and the victim is eligible to request a review under the VRR scheme, information is provided about the VRR scheme and how it can be accessed.
The CPS also has published and keeps under regular review guidance which sets out how the scheme works, including what decisions can be reviewed, who can request a review, how to request a review and the stages of review.
The CPS publishes data showing the number of VRR requests it received and the total number of decisions which were overturned as a result.
In addition to the VRR scheme, there is also a VRR pilot being trialled by CPS West Midlands which was launched in June 2025. Under the pilot, survivors of rape or serious sexual abuse will be offered the right to request a review by a different prosecutor before their case is dropped. The results of this pilot will soon be evaluated.
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