Oral Answers to Questions

Selaine Saxby Excerpts

Tuesday 24th May 2022 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Selaine Saxby (North Devon) (Con)]

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

[James Sunderland (Bracknell) (Con)]

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

[The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (Dominic Raab)]

We are increasing victim support funding to £185 million by 2024—almost double the amount in the 2020-21 core budgets, and more than quadruple the victims funding in the last year of the last Labour Government.

[Selaine Saxby]

Will my right hon. Friend expand on the specifics for victims of an alleged crime who are under 16 and who attend the same school as the accused? Are there opportunities to expedite such cases, which typically take years to progress?

[Dominic Raab]

My hon. Friend is right to highlight the particular vulnerability of children in such cases. The courts already have the power to prioritise cases, for example those with a particular risk of the victim or a witness being intimidated. The Department for Education’s statutory guidance for schools and others makes it clear that they can take appropriate measures to safeguard children, which can include transfers to and from schools where necessary.