Oral Answers to Questions

Gareth Thomas Excerpts

Tuesday 14th May 2024 Commons Chamber

[Tonia Antoniazzi (Gower) (Lab)]

2. What steps his Department is taking to help ensure public confidence in the support provided to victims throughout the criminal justice process.

[Gareth Thomas (Harrow West) (Lab/Co-op)]

8. What steps his Department is taking to help ensure public confidence in the support provided to victims throughout the criminal justice process.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Laura Farris)]

With the Victims and Prisoners Bill, we are putting the victims code on a statutory footing. It includes a right for any victim of crime to be signposted by the police to correct and appropriate support services. We have quadrupled victims funding since we took office in 2010 to over £150 million a year, and have recruited almost 1,000 independent sexual violence advisers and independent domestic violence advisers into the criminal justice system. In addition, we provide a range of freephone support lines, including a 24/7 hotline for rape.

--- Later in debate ---

[Laura Farris]

We are doing a huge amount to drive down the backlog, which was principally a result of the pandemic. We have increased the fees for both solicitors and barristers by 15%; we have kept open more than 20 Nightingale courts; and we are doing everything within our power to drive down waiting times.

[Gareth Thomas]

Bearing in mind that Harrow Crown court is not set to reopen for another year because of Ministers’ failure to invest in its repairs early enough, what confidence can victims of crime in Harrow have that Ministers are going to get those who are accused of those crimes to justice much more quickly than is currently the case?

[Laura Farris]

As the hon. Gentleman will know, the issue with Harrow Crown court is that reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete was discovered in that building. We are investing more than £220 million in the court estate, because we know how much it matters, not just so that the courts are functioning, but so that the buildings convey the right sense of dignity so that people respect the process. Harrow is just one of 350 courts in England and Wales.