Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of existing victim support services to assess whether the UK will comply with Directive 2012/29/EU ensuring minimum rights for victims by 16 November 2015; and if he will publish the results of that assessment.

Following public consultation in 2012 the Ministry of Justice moved to a model where Police and Crime Commissioners are responsible for commissioning the majority of support services for victims of crime. While it is for Police and Crime Commissioners to determine local priorities for support for victims, they are required, under the terms of their grant funding, to provide or commission services which, when taken together with relevant existing provision, will satisfy the requirements of the Victims’ Directive (and in particular Articles 8 and 9). Police and Crime Commissioners are required to demonstrate to the Ministry of Justice how compliance with the conditions of the grant have been satisfied.

Some services for victims remain nationally commissioned, by the Ministry of Justice, such as the national homicide service and court based witness service, and male and female rape support services. Where services have been nationally commissioned by the MoJ, the requirements on the service include that they are consistent with the requirements of the EU Directive on victims. Management of the grants for nationally commissioned services for victims will include ongoing assessment of how services for victims support delivery of the requirements of the EU Directive.

In England & Wales the Government will discharge its responsibilities under the Victims’ Directive (establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime) not just through the victim support services funded by the Ministry of Justice and other Government departments, but also through other existing statutory and voluntary service provision.