Victims and Prisoners Bill: call for written evidence

Aims of the Bill

The Bill is split into key three areas.

Victims of crime

Part 1 of the Bill includes several proposals aimed at holding criminal justice agencies more strongly to account for the service they provide to victims and to improve the support victims receive.

This includes placing the key principles of the Victims’ Code in primary legislation. The code sets out the minimum level of service victims can expect from criminal justice agencies. The Bill would also place duties on criminal justice bodies to raise awareness of the code and to collect and review information on their compliance with it. Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) would also be given a corresponding duty to monitor compliance of criminal justice agencies within their police force area.

Victims of major incidents

Part 2 of the Bill would provide the Justice Secretary with the power to appoint public advocates to support bereaved families and victims of major incidents. Advocates would be appointed if there is an incident rather than holding a permanent position.

An advocate would be able to provide support in the immediate aftermath of an incident as well as assist victims while any police or coroners’ investigations, inquests or public inquiries take place. They would have some data sharing powers to keep victims informed about information they may receive through these investigations. Advocates may also be required to report to the Justice Secretary on victims’ experiences after of major incidents.

Prisoners and parole

Part 3 of the Bill would make several reforms to the parole system and Parole Board proceedings. This includes proposals to provide the Justice Secretary with powers to veto a decision by the board to release certain individuals that fall into a ‘top-tier’ of serious cases. The Justice Secretary would then make the decision about release themselves.

The Bill would also give the Justice Secretary powers to mandate that the Parole Board include members with law enforcement experience and that they be involved in handling ‘top-tier’ cases. The Justice Secretary would also have a statutory power to remove the board’s Chair if deemed necessary for ensuring public confidence in the board.

Follow the progress of the Victims and Prisoners Bill

The Victims and Prisoners Bill was introduced to the House of Commons on 29 March 2023. The Bill’s second reading was held on 15 May 2023.

• Bills before Parliament: Victims and Prisoners Bill
• Read Explanatory Notes: Victims and Prisoners Bill
• Library Briefing Paper

Oral evidence sessions for this Bill are expected to be held on 20 and 22 June.

Guidance on submitting written evidence

Deadline for written evidence submissions

The Public Bill Committee is now able to receive written evidence. The sooner you send in your submission, the more time the Committee will have to take it into consideration and possibly reflect it in an amendment. The order in which amendments are taken in Committee will be available in due course under Selection of Amendments on the Bill documents pages. Once the Committee has dealt with an amendment it will not revisit it.

The first sitting of the Public Bill Committee is expected to be on Tuesday 20 June and the Committee is scheduled to report by Thursday 13 July. However, please note that when the Committee concludes its consideration of the Bill it is no longer able to receive written evidence and it can conclude earlier than the expected deadline of 5.00pm on Thursday 13 July. You are strongly advised to submit your written evidence as soon as possible.

Your submission should be emailed to scrutiny@parliament.uk

Further guidance on submitting written evidence can be found here.

Image: Parliamentary Copyright