Commons Sense

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Victim Support Funding 2025-12-16

2025-12-16

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Response quality

Questions & Answers

Q1 Partial Answer
Tim Roca Lab
Macclesfield
▸ Context
Record funding has been announced for victim support, but concerns arise about the abolition of police and crime commissioners.
I welcome the increased funding. Victim support and the commissioning of those services is incredibly important, and the operational independence of police and crime commissioners has been invaluable in that regard. What assurances can Ministers provide that, with the abolition of PCCs, victim support will not be led by forces themselves and that we will keep the important progress we have made over recent years?
David Lammy (Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice)
We have committed to providing PCCs with £131.8 million for 026-27 and £134 million for 027-28 for their work on sexual violence and domestic abuse. It is really important that we ringfence that funding.
▸ Assessment & feedback
The assurance requested about the continuation of independent victim support services was not fully addressed, focusing instead on specific funding amounts for PCCs' work.
Response accuracy
Q2 Partial Answer
Gavin Williamson Con
Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge
▸ Context
Concerns raised about the abolition of police and crime commissioners and its impact on victim support services.
Building on the question from the hon. Member for Macclesfield, police and crime commissioners were able to act as a strong independent voice for commissioners. In what has been outlined so far, there is not really a voice for victims in local areas. What will the Secretary of State do to make sure that is remedied?
David Lammy (Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice)
We have up to May 2028. It is important that we get the money in and that that money particularly goes to the frontline. When I meet organisations on the ground such as Rape Crisis, they are the voice of women on the frontline, but of course we are looking very closely at how this interaction will work after we no longer have PCCs.
▸ Assessment & feedback
The assurance requested about an effective voice for victims was not fully addressed, focusing instead on funding and front-line organisations.
Response accuracy