I have always believed that strengthening public confidence in the criminal justice system must also include support and care for the victims of crime.
I am, therefore, delighted that alongside the Police, Crime, Sentencing & Courts Bill, the Government is also taking action to ensure that victims of all crimes benefit from a more explicit set of rights.
The Government plans to introduce the first-ever Victims’ Law to put victims at the heart of the criminal justice process and ensure their voices are properly heard.
The proposals - which were open to public consultation between December 2021 and February 2022 - seek to hold agencies such as Cheshire Police, the Crown Prosecution Service and the Courts Service to account for the service they provide to victims appropriately.
The views submitted by members of the public and interested organisations during the consultation are currently being analysed, and I look forward to reading the Government’s response when it is published.
The measures include plans for community impact statements and a specific requirement for prosecutors to meet the victims of certain alleged crimes before making a charging decision.
Furthermore, the revised Victims’ Code is now in force and sets out 12 fundamental rights. These rights are clear, concise and easy to understand.
I am particularly pleased that the code includes a new right for eligible victims to be referred automatically to the Victim Contact Scheme.
The code also ensures victims will have the information needed to access services provided by the NHS, and know where to go for help and support if the media approach them.
These are just a couple of the new code’s critical benefits, and I welcome this step in the right direction.
I believe the revised Victims’ Code provides a solid foundation for further action, and that victims have the right to be protected from re-victimisation, intimidation and retaliation during and after the investigation and proceedings.
To underpin this vital strengthening of victims’ policy, the Ministry of Justice has confirmed multi-year funding of £147 million per year - and a minimum of £440 million over the next three years - to ensure that high-quality and consistent support services are available for victims of crime here in Cheshire and across the country, when they need it most.
To get in touch with Edward Timpson CBE MP about this or other national or local issues, please visit edwardtimpson.com/contact, where you can also sign up for Edward’s Eddisbury Report e-newsletter.
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