Select committee: Justice Committee
Conclusion 31
Second Report - Pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Victims Bill
Published 30 Sep 2022
Paragraph 110
Addressed to Ministry of Justice
Justice Committee Pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Victims Bill All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
We are concerned that the duty to collaborate does not go far enough to ensure that vital, community-based support services are available to victims of domestic and sexual abuse. The duty must be strengthened to require the agencies described to collaborate and commission community-based services. That duty should be accompanied by an appropriate, multi-year funding package. Without the necessary funding in place the Bill risks raising victims’ awareness of their rights only to leave them unable to access them due to the relevant services already working at full capacity.
From: Justice Committee, Second Report - Pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Victims Bill (HC 304), paragraph 110, 30 September 2022
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 19 January 2023 (deadline 30 November 2022).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The Government says it will take forward a number of the Committee's recommendations, including amending the Bill, while stating that "we do not consider that any changes are necessary" on several others.
- On the definition of a victim, the Government "will amend the Bill to include bereaved families" and intends to reference persons born as a result of rape in the Bill and the new Code.
- It does not consider changes necessary on immigration data sharing, citing a Home Office Review, and says it "will consider" a statutory code of practice and Migrant Victim Protocol being developed by the Home Office.
- It declines to give victims a right to access restorative justice, stating "we do not consider that a right to access restorative justice is practical or appropriate" because participation must be voluntary and agreed as safe.
- It will amend the Bill to retain the Victims' Commissioner's duty to oversee the Code nationally and to require agencies to respond to all the Commissioner's reports, "ahead of introduction".