Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Victims’ Rights

Tuesday 17 March 2026 · 2 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 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The victims code sets out rights for victims, and a consultation on a new victims code has been launched to ensure it is fit for 2026.
  • The family courts are being addressed to ensure they are safe for all involved, including victims of domestic violence.
  • The Courts and Tribunals Bill will repeal the presumption of parental involvement in cases where it may put victims at risk.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Munira Wilson Lib Dem Twickenham
Justice & Courts Standards & Ethics
Context

The Liberal Democrats are concerned about the adequacy of victims' rights, particularly in light of cases where victims have not been adequately informed of an offender's deportation status.

Question

What steps he is taking to support victims' rights. The Minister will recall that last month I raised with her the case of Roksana Lecka, who was convicted of child cruelty at a nursery in Twickenham. Her victims' parents were given only six days notice that she was being deported just a few months into her eight-year sentence, so although the victims code currently says that “all reasonable steps” should be taken to inform victims of an offender's immigration status and likelihood of deportation, it does not say when. Does the Minister agree that an updated victims code should say that information about an offender's immigration and likely deportation status should be shared as early as possible in the process?

Answer from Alex Davies-Jones

The victims code sets out exactly the rights that victims can expect to receive. We have now launched a consultation on a new victims code to ensure that it is fit for purpose for 2026 and that we get the foundations right for victims. We are also raising awareness of the victims code through an “Understand Your Rights” campaign, as we want everyone to be aware of their rights. I want all victims to have as much information as possible in a timely and appropriate fashion. That is exactly the type of information that we need to include in a new victims code. This is why we are consulting. I would be happy to meet the hon. Lady and her constituents to hear about their experiences and how we can best shape this new code. All victims are entitled to information about their offender. We are expanding the victim contact scheme to include that and to ensure that victims know their rights.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific timeframe for sharing information about an offender's deportation status was not provided

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q2 Munira Wilson Lib Dem Twickenham
Justice & Courts Children & Families
Context

The Liberal Democrats have concerns about the family courts' ability to protect victims of domestic abuse, with a report indicating that 73% of hearings involved evidence of domestic abuse but it was frequently not recognized in determinations.

Question

The family courts urgently need reforming so that victims, especially those of domestic violence, are not experiencing a system that is being used by perpetrators to continue to control and abuse. The Domestic Abuse Commissioner reported that 73% of hearings in the family courts involved evidence of domestic abuse, but it is frequently not recognised in determinations. In the Courts and Tribunals Bill, the Government have included a clause to remove the presumption of parental responsibility, so will the Secretary of State take the opportunity to increase the scope of the Bill by including the family courts as a whole within it, and restore some faith for victims in our family court system?

Answer from Alex Davies-Jones

I welcome that question. The Liberal Democrat spokesperson will know of my commitment to ensuring that the family court is safe for all involved, including children and domestic abuse victims. That is why we are repealing in the Courts and Tribunals Bill the presumption of parental involvement in contact in these cases. Just today, the Justice Secretary has announced a national roll-out of our child-focused model, formerly known as pathfinder, over the next three years. We are doing all we can to ensure that our family courts are safe and effective for all involved.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific reforms for the entire family court system were not detailed beyond removing presumption of parental involvement in contact cases

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)