Oral Answers to Questions

Sajid Javid Excerpts

Tuesday 8th November 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Djanogly]

If the hon. Lady has problems to be addressed, she should write to the Ministry of Justice and we will take them up.

[Sajid Javid (Bromsgrove) (Con)]

5. What steps his Department is taking to provide support for victims; and if he will make a statement.

[The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (Mr Kenneth Clarke)]

In the current financial year the Ministry of Justice is providing funding of approximately £50 million to voluntary sector organisations that support victims of crime. Before Christmas we intend to launch a consultation on proposals that will ensure that victims of crime are supported in the best way possible.

[Sajid Javid]

Too many victims of crime in my constituency feel that their rights are put behind those of criminals. Will my right hon. and learned Friend please share with me what measures he proposes to take to correct that sense of injustice?

[Mr Clarke]

Apart from continuing to give support to victims organisations, as I said, we are about to implement the Prisoners Earnings Act 1996, which will see up to £1 million taken from prisoners’ wages going into victims’ services. We have given Victim Support its three-year grant for the first time. It has never had such assured support—£38 million a year. We have honoured our coalition commitment to place rape support centres on a secure financial footing, giving them long-term funding, and we are about to open four more.