Written question asked by Greg Knight (Conservative) on Wednesday, 18 November 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 23 November 2009. It was answered by Claire Ward (Labour) on Thursday, 26 November 2009 on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.

Fixed Penalties: Fines

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will reject any proposals to introduce a victims' surcharge for fixed penalties and on the spot fines; and if he will make a statement.

Answer: It is Government policy that, where possible, offenders should contribute to victims' services as part of their reparation. Provisions were therefore included in the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 providing for a surcharge to be payable on criminal convictions, penalty notices for disorder and on fixed penalty notices for road traffic offences where the offences are persistent and serious.The victim surcharge was introduced on 1 April 2007 and has been applied initially only to fines imposed in magistrates and Crown courts at a rate of £15. We intend to add the surcharge to other disposals as soon as it becomes feasible to do so. Proceeds raised from the surcharge provide a ring-fenced source of funding for a wide variety of organisations providing non-financial support to victims and witnesses of crime.

Secondary information