A Westminster Hall debate on Rights of victims of crime is scheduled for Tuesday 13 March 2018 at 2.30pm. The Member leading the debate is Alex Sobel MP.
Rights of victims of crime (231 KB , PDF)
Currently victims’ rights are set out in the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime. This sets out what victims should expect from various criminal justice agencies.
Although the Code is a statutory one, provided for in the Domestic Violence Crime and Victims Act 2004, failure to comply with it does not of itself make a person liable to criminal or civil proceedings. Courts can take such failure into account in other proceedings however. Some argue that the “rights” in the code are not sufficiently enforceable. The Victims Commissioner and Victim Support have pointed to problems with victims being given their rights under the Code.
In the run up to the 2015 and the 2017 General Elections, various political parties including the Conservatives promised legislation on victims’ rights.
The Government has said it will publish a strategy for victims “by the summer”.
Rights of victims of crime (231 KB , PDF)
The Queen’s Speech in May 2021 announced a new bill to provide the security services with the tools they need to tackle the threat from hostile activity by states. The Government subsequently published a consultation on proposals for legislation to counter state threats which closed in July 2021. This briefing paper examines the background to these proposals and concerns about the implications for press freedom.
This briefing examines the available statistics on terrorism since 2001 in Great Britain.
Priti Patel has launched a non-statutory inquiry following the sentencing of Sarah Everard's killer. The chair and terms of reference have yet to be announced.
