Contributions
647 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDVictims and Prisoners Bill (Seventh sitting)An awful lot of organisations and people working in this area, including the Head of Family Justice, are bringing to light what is happening, so I absolutely agree with the hon.…29 Jun 2023HANSARDVictims and Prisoners Bill (Seventh sitting)The reason I am illustrating this point is that it is relevant in setting out the context of why we need the amendment. It relates to getting special measures in a court case.…29 Jun 2023HANSARDVictims and Prisoners Bill (Seventh sitting)Thank you, Ms Elliott—I appreciate that. In response to the right hon. and learned Gentleman, I have one last example to illustrate why these special measures—29 Jun 2023HANSARDVictims and Prisoners Bill (Seventh sitting)A special measure could be anything; it could be a screen. It is about understanding and access to victim support. It is anything that will help a survivor of domestic or coercive…29 Jun 2023HANSARDVictims and Prisoners Bill (Seventh sitting)The amendment would ensure that those in family courts, and all those agencies, have a duty to signpost victims to support and special measures, so that everybody around family…29 Jun 2023HANSARDVictims and Prisoners Bill (Seventh sitting)My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We need to make sure that something is happening. That is why this amendment and the debate around it are so vital. The amendment will not…29 Jun 2023HANSARDVictims and Prisoners Bill (Seventh sitting)I understand what the Minister says, and I appreciate his reflections, but I have to point out the number and the intensity of issues that I have raised and the amount of…29 Jun 2023HANSARDVictims and Prisoners Bill (Eighth sitting)I beg to move amendment 11, in clause 3, page 3, line 29, at end insert “and the Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses.”. This amendment would require the Secretary of State to…29 Jun 2023HANSARDVictims and Prisoners Bill (Eighth sitting)Amendments 11 and 12 address the same issue. Amendment 11 falls under clause 3 concerning the drafting of the victims code, and amendment 12 falls under clause 4, which concerns…29 Jun 2023HANSARDVictims and Prisoners Bill (Eighth sitting)I thank the Minister for his response to these provisions. The Victims’ Commissioner has a statutory duty to keep the code under review. Because the Secretary of State, however,…29 Jun 2023HANSARDVictims and Prisoners Bill (Eighth sitting)I will speak to amendment 13 and new clause 2 together. Amendment 13 would insert “in accordance with the victims’ code” after “services” in clause 6. It is a relatively small…29 Jun 2023HANSARDVictims and Prisoners Bill (Eighth sitting)I am not going to press the amendment, but I would like to work with the Minister on how we see this issue going forward. He has given some assurances, but it would be good to…29 Jun 2023HANSARDVictims and Prisoners Bill (Eighth sitting)I beg to move amendment 14, in clause 10, page 8, line 37, at end insert— “(1A) The Secretary of State must share compliance information with the Commissioner for Victims and…29 Jun 2023HANSARDVictims and Prisoners Bill (Eighth sitting)Amendment 14 would place a duty on the Secretary of State to share all information collected regarding compliance with the victims code with the Commissioner for Victims and…29 Jun 2023HANSARDVictims and Prisoners Bill (Eighth sitting)I thank the Minister for his response to amendment 14. The issue is to ensure that the Victims’ Commissioner’s oversight role is strengthened, which is what the amendment would…29 Jun 2023HANSARDVictims and Prisoners Bill (Eighth sitting)I support my hon. Friend’s new clauses. Victims who are deaf, disabled or blind or whose first language is not English are constantly being failed by the criminal justice system,…29 Jun 2023HANSARDVictims and Prisoners Bill (Sixth sitting)In his opening speech on Second Reading, the Justice Secretary stated that “in order to deliver justice, victims must be treated not as mere spectators of the criminal justice…27 Jun 2023HANSARDVictims and Prisoners Bill (Sixth sitting)I thank the Minister for his response and the Committee for this debate on child criminal exploitation. I particularly thank my hon. Friend the Member for Rotherham for tabling…27 Jun 2023HANSARDVictims and Prisoners Bill (Sixth sitting)I beg to move amendment 6, in clause 2, page 2, line 18, leave out “should” and insert “must”.27 Jun 2023HANSARDVictims and Prisoners Bill (Fifth sitting)Absolutely. That illustrates yet more child criminal exploitation. The whole thing is just horrific and absurd, which is why this issue needs to be addressed. Back to Robbie. As…27 Jun 2023