To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the use of cautions in domestic violence cases usually defined by prosecutors as common assault. (145065)

There is not a specific indicator of the effectiveness of the use of cautions in domestic violence cases. However, our view is that cautions are generally not a suitable alternative to charging in cases of domestic violence. They are only used in cases where, with due consideration to all of the evidence and the relevant charging criteria, there is no other alternative.