Eighth Special Report - Pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Victims Bill: Government Response to the Committee’s Second Report

This is the government's response, published 19 January 2023.

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".

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error