---

Victims and Courts Bill 2024-25: Progress of the bill

Summary 

What would the bill do? 

The bill is narrow is scope with provisions for victims, courts, and sentencing. 

The government says that the bill is part of its Plan for Change and will help victims to get the justice they deserve. 

It is part of a wider programme of work regarding victims and sentencing. The Sentencing Bill 2024-25, which would make changes to sentencing, release provisions and supervision arrangements for people on probation supervision had its second reading on 21 October 2025.¹

The Public Office (Accountability) Bill, usually referred to as the Hillsborough Bill would create a duty of candour for public officials and introduce legal  support for bereaved families at inquests . It was introduced in the House of Commons on 16 September 2025.²

The bill includes measures on compelling offenders to attend court for sentencing, parental responsibility for some people convicted of sex offences, expanding the victim notification scheme and the powers of the Victims’ Commissioner, prosecutions, and unduly lenient sentences.  

As introduced and following committee stage the bill has 16 clauses and 2 schedules. 

What happened at second reading? 

Second reading of the bill took place on Tuesday 20 May 2025.  

Most members that spoke largely supported the bill and many welcomed the intent behind the legislation and provisions they believed would support victims more effectively. The opposition did not oppose the bill on second reading. 

Most MPs that spoke were supportive of the measures in the bill that would  ensure perpetrators attended sentencing hearings, increase the numbers of victims accessing statutory support and help the Victims’ Commissioner to address challenges of anti-social behaviour. 

General concerns with the bill focused on whether it went far enough for victims in terms of support with criminal proceedings and being able to report crimes and, whether support for organisations and statutory support for victims is adequately resourced and communicated to victims. 

What happened at committee stage? 

The public bill committee met in five sessions between 17 June 2025 and 24 June 2025. 

The government made amendments to one clause of the bill (clause 9), which were technical amendments to ensure that the clause operated as intended. 

The opposition broadly supported the bill at public bill committee. It tabled various amendments intended to widen some aspect of the bill and a few new clauses. The committee agreed no opposition or backbench amendments. 

All government clauses including the new amendments to clause 9 were agreed by the committee.