Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Support for Victims

Tuesday 21 February 2023 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Government have consulted on the draft Victims Bill and responded to the Justice Committee's prelegislative scrutiny.
  • Government continue to invest in victims' services alongside the draft Victims Bill.
  • Process to appoint a Victims' Commissioner is ongoing to ensure the best candidate is selected.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Stephen Morgan Lab Portsmouth South
Justice & Courts
Context

The question arises from concerns about support and recognition of victim's needs within the current criminal justice framework.

Question

What steps he is taking to support victims in the criminal justice system. The Government have consulted on the draft Victims Bill and have now responded to the Justice Committee's excellent prelegislative scrutiny of it.

Answer from Edward Argar

The Government have consulted on the draft Victims Bill and have now responded to the Justice Committee's excellent prelegislative scrutiny of it. Alongside that Bill, which we will bring to the House when parliamentary time allows, we continue to invest in victims' services.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer does not provide a specific timeline for introducing the Victims Bill or any concrete actions beyond ongoing consultations and service investments.

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Q2 Liz Twist Lab Blaydon and Consett
Justice & Courts
Context

The Victims' Commissioner's survey indicated that less than half of victims who had made a police report would do so again due to traumatic experiences. There has been a seven-year gap since the first promise for the victims Bill, which has not become law.

Question

Will victims ever be a priority for this Government? Seven years and six Justice Secretaries have passed without delivering on the commitment of the Victims' Bill. The survey by the former Commissioner revealed that less than half of victims would report again due to traumatic experiences.

Answer from Edward Argar

We have been clear that we will bring it forward as soon as parliamentary time allows. This Government puts the needs of victims front and centre with increased support and funding through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer does not specify a timeline for the bill or address the issue of victim trust in reporting crimes.

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Q3 Stephen Morgan Lab Portsmouth South
Crime & Law Enforcement Community Security
Context

There are approximately 3,000 incidents of antisocial behaviour daily and over 20 million people experienced it last year. There is a lack of action against ASB.

Question

When will Ministers finally appoint a Victims' Commissioner to champion the rights of victims of ASB? A staggering number of antisocial behaviour incidents take place every day, with almost 20 million people having experienced it in the past year.

Answer from Edward Argar

The process to appoint a Victims' Commissioner is ongoing, ensuring that we get absolutely the best candidate installed. We follow due process to ensure success in championing victims' rights.

Partly answered

Not addressed: No specific timeline for appointment or details on how this will help ASB victims was provided.

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