Oral Answers to Questions

Rushanara Ali Excerpts

Tuesday 31st January 2012 Commons Chamber

[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.

[Mr David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate) (Con)]

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

--- Later in debate ---

[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.

[Rushanara Ali]

Given that 61% of victims feel that the justice system is ineffective, and that the victims code will not be placed on a statutory basis, how will the rights of victims be properly protected by this Government?

[Mr Clarke]

I do not think that 51% of victims have a factual basis for saying that. I share the hon. Lady’s concern, however, that whenever questions are asked, if they are asked in the right way, we get that kind of answer. We have to get across to the public that the system does indeed punish offenders properly and attempt to reform them, and that we are steadily attempting to improve the support that we give to victims. It is extremely important that the criminal justice system should give the highest regard to victims, because protecting and giving justice to them and their families is one of the principal aims of the service.