Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has taken recent steps to increase the use of restorative justice.

Restorative justice is a valuable approach, but it is not appropriate in all cases. The welfare and safety of the victim is paramount, so restorative justice will only occur where it is safe and appropriate, and both the victim and the offender consent.

In the right cases restorative justice can have a powerful impact on victims and reduce reoffending too.

HMPPS has published an operational framework on restorative justice to support its use in suitable cases and ensure consistent referral processes between PCCs, prisons and probation.