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Victims Fund

Answer

From 1 April 2007 anyone convicted in the criminal courts for an offence or offences committed on or after that date and ordered to pay a fine (whether or not any other penalty is imposed) will have to pay the surcharge, at a flat rate of £15, irrespective of the size of the fine.In a full year it is expected that the surcharge on fines will raise £16 million. It is estimated that about 70 per cent. of this will come from fines on motoring offences.Money from the surcharge will be spent on a range of services for victims of crime and witnesses. These include £3 million for witness care units, £3 million for independent domestic violence advisers, and £8 million for other support services for victims, the details of which will be announced in due course.Another £2 million is being allocated to the Victims Fund. Money from the fund is being allocated in two phases. Under the first phase, £1¼ million will be allocated to voluntary organisations helping victims of sexual violence. Applications for funding are currently being considered, and an announcement about which organisations the money has been allocated to will be made as soon as possible. Under the second phase, the other £¾ million will be allocated to organisations helping victims of other types of crime. We will make an announcement about eligibility and how to apply in due course.A proportion of this money will be allocated for organisations helping victims of road traffic incidents. We cannot give further details at this time, but will make further information available as soon as we can.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

132533; 460 c93-4W;460 c94-5W

Session

2006-07

Subjects

Victims Fund

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk