Oral Answers to Questions

Charlotte Leslie Excerpts

Tuesday 31st January 2012 Commons Chamber

[Derek Twigg (Halton) (Lab)]

6. What steps his Department is taking to support victims of crime.

[Charlotte Leslie (Bristol North West) (Con)]

9. What steps his Department is taking to support victims of crime.

[Rushanara Ali (Bethnal Green and Bow) (Lab)]

11. What steps his Department is taking to support victims of crime.

--- Later in debate ---

[Charlotte Leslie]

Victims often feel that their rights are taken less seriously by the system than those of the perpetrator. What measures are the Government taking to ensure that victims, especially those of violent rape, and their families are financially compensated and supported following the often life-shattering traumas that they have experienced?

[Mr Clarke]

I announced yesterday that we were making changes to the compensation scheme, but we are making no changes whatever to the compensation for victims of rape and sexual offences at any level of the tariff. We accept that it is important to compensate those victims, and we are trying to strengthen the support that we give to the victims of sexual offences. We are also supporting outside bodies that give support to such victims. I think that my hon. Friend will find that nothing I said yesterday remotely reduces our commitment to the victims of rape and sexual offences, and that, since we have been in office, we have been steadily improving the services that we provide.