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To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what changes his Department has made to (a) the amount of information available to, and (b) the protection by law for, victims of crime and vulnerable witnesses since May 1997. - Inc refs to various publications, The Sex Offenders Act...

Asked by

Margaret Ewing (Scottish National Party)

Answering body

Home Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

30 July 1998

For answer on

26 October 1998

Answered on

26 October 1998

Mrs. Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes his Department has made to (a) the amount of information available to, and (b) the protection by law for, victims of crime and vulnerable witnesses since May 1997. [54998] Mr. Michael: We have revised the Victims of Crime leaflet, which the police hand out routinely to victims; the Witness in Court leaflet for all those called to give evidence in court; and the Information Pack for the Families of Homicide Victims. In November 1997, we issued a new leaflet called Release of Prisoners: Information for Victims of Serious Sexual or Other Violent Offences, which explains the role of the Probation Service in working with victims when a serious offender has been given a prison sentence of four years or more. The steering group overseeing revision of the Child Witness Pack, relaunched as the Young Witness Pack in June this year, was chaired by an official from the Home Office. The pack is a jointly funded initiative by Government Department, the NSPCC and Childline for use in the preparation for court of young witnesses aged 5 to 17. The Sex Offenders Act 1997 provides a mechanism to help protect children and vulnerable adults from convicted sex offenders. It requires such offenders to register their current name and address with the police and to inform the police of any change of address or change of name. Home Office guidance has made it clear that this information is not to be left to gather dust on a file but to be used for the protection of children and vulnerable adults. The Association of Chief Police Officers and the Association of Chief Officers of Probation have co-operated with other agencies to develop best practice following the implementation of the Act. As well as acting as a deterrent to the offender and allowing appropriate measures to be put in place, registration under the Act allows the police to be informed when a sex offender moves into their area and to take appropriate steps to protect vulnerable people as necessary. The Sex Offender Order is intended to protect the public from a convicted sex offender, however far in the past his conviction took place, if there is current concern about a danger he may pose to the public, in particular children or vulnerable adults. A court may make an order against such an offender which would contain prohibitions which he has to observe in order to prevent the likelihood of him committing offences in the future. An order also comes with it the requirement to register under the Sex Offender Act 1997. In June 1997 we established an inter departmental Working Group to examine the treatment of vulnerable or intimidated witnesses, including victims, in the criminal justice system. The report of the Working Group on Vulnerable or Intimidated Witnesses, Speaking up for Justice, was published for consultation by my right hon. Friend on 10 June. The consultation exercise has now been completed and we are urgently considering the responses. We are determined to take action as quickly as possible, in light of the consultation exercise, to improve the way vulnerable or intimidated witnesses are treated in the criminal justice system.

Date

26 October 1998

Reference

318 c61-2W; 54998

House

House of Commons

Scottish Office

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what changes his Department has made to (a) the amount of information provided to and (b) the protection by law for victims of crime and vulnerable witnesses since May 1997.

Asked by

Margaret Ewing (Scottish National Party)

Answering body

Scottish Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

30 July 1998

For answer on

19 October 1998

Answered on

19 October 1998

Mrs. Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what changes his Department has made to (a) the amount of information provided to and (b) the protection by law for victims of crime and vulnerable witnesses since May 1997. [55015] Mr. McLeish: At the end of February we produced a general information leaflet for victims of crime, which explains the criminal justice process in simple terms and provides information about getting help. The leaflet is distributed mainly by the police, who are the first contact a victim or witness who reports a crime has with the criminal justice system. It is also available through Victim Support Scotland and Citizens Advice Bureaux. I am advised by my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate that, in January, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in conjunction with the Scottish Court Service launched a Joint Statement on Crown Witnesses, outlining the joint and individual responsibilities of procurators and clerks of court in relation to Crown Witnesses cited in court. The document introduced an undertaking that witnesses at court would be provided with an update on the progress of their case at least once every two hours. The Lord Advocate's Department also refined and improved the information that is provided to child witnesses and, in March 1998, he launched two new information leaflets for child witnesses who are cited to court. One leaflet is aimed at children under 12 and one is for use by children between 12 and 16. The leaflets provide information about what the child can expect when coming to court to give evidence. A Scottish Office-led inter-departmental Working Group was set up in late 1997 to examine the issue of vulnerable or intimidated witnesses. The Group's report will be issued as a consultative document on 2 November.

Date

19 October 1998

Reference

317 c951-2W; 55015

House

House of Commons

Home Office

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the proposed timescale for implementing the recommendations relating to vulnerable witnesses in the report Speaking up for Justice, June 1998.

Asked by

David Kidney (Labour)

Answering body

Home Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

6 July 1998

Reference

315 c349W; 48686

House

House of Commons

Home Office

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will comment on arrangements for supporting witnesses in magistrates' courts. - Includes ref to 'National Standards of Witness Care in the Criminal Justice System.

Asked by

Andrew Dismore (Labour)

Answering body

Home Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

24 June 1998

Reference

314 c516W; 47009

House

House of Commons

Lords debate on Unstarred Question on what progress they are making in reviewing way in which vulnerable or intimidated witnesses are treated in the criminal justice system, with particular reference to rape or indecent assault trials

Lead member

Baroness Byford

Answering member

Lord Williams of Mostyn

Department

Home Office

Type

Questions for short debate

Date

22 June 1998

Reference

591 c87-110

House

House of Lords

Home Office

1st supplementary on referral system between the Metropolitan Police and Victim Support in Barnet.

Asked by

Andrew Dismore (Labour)

Answering body

Home Office

Oral questions - 1st Supplementary

Status

Answered

Date

15 June 1998

Reference

314 c3

House

House of Commons

Home Office

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, What plans he has to introduce measures to increase the protection provided to victims of rape. (Failed OPQ)

Asked by

Julian Lewis (Conservative)

Answering body

Home Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

15 June 1998

Reference

314 c64W; 44274

House

House of Commons

Home Office

Answered by

Jack Straw (Labour)

Answering body

Home Office

Type

Oral answers to questions

Date

15 June 1998

Reference

314 c3

House

House of Commons

Home Office

Answered by

Jack Straw (Labour)

Answering body

Home Office

Type

Oral answers to questions

Date

15 June 1998

Reference

314 c3

House

House of Commons

Home Office

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, What steps he is taking to ensure that the concerns of victims of crime are taken into account in the criminal justice system.

Asked by

Andrew Dismore (Labour)

Answering body

Home Office

Oral questions - Lead

Status

Answered

Date

15 June 1998

Reference

314 c3; 44242

House

House of Commons

Prime Minister

To ask the Prime Minister, If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 10th June. (Question not printed).

Asked by

Ben Chapman (Labour)

Answering body

Prime Minister

Prime Minister's questions - Lead

Status

Answered

Date

10 June 1998

Reference

313 c1075-6; 43532

House

House of Commons

Prime Minister

Answered by

Tony Blair (Labour)

Answering body

Prime Minister

Type

Oral answers to questions

Date

10 June 1998

Reference

313 c1075-6

House

House of Commons

Prime Minister

1st supplementary on report published on the protection of vulnerable witnesses.

Asked by

Ben Chapman (Labour)

Answering body

Prime Minister

Prime Minister's questions - 1st Supplementary

Status

Answered

Date

10 June 1998

Reference

313 c1075-6

House

House of Commons

Prime Minister

Answered by

Tony Blair (Labour)

Answering body

Prime Minister

Type

Oral answers to questions

Date

10 June 1998

Reference

313 c1075-6

House

House of Commons

Home Office

Statement on if the inter-departmental review of the Treatment of Vulnerable or Intimidated Witnesses announced on 13th June 1997 has now been completed; and if he proposes to publish its findings. - Inc fact that report of the Interdepartmental Working Group will be placed in Lib tomorrow.

Asked by

Baroness Smith of Basildon (Labour)

Answering body

Home Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

9 June 1998

Reference

45260; 313 c481-2W

House

House of Commons

Williams of Mostyn, Lord

Statement on whether the inter-departmental review of the Treatment of Vulnerable or Intimidated Witnesses announced on 13 June 1997 has now been completed; and whether they propose to publish its findings. [HL 2206]. - The review completed and copies of the report in Library.

Asked by

Baroness Nicol (Labour)

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

9 June 1998

Reference

HL 2206; 590 c77WA

House

House of Lords

Home Office

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects the review on the treatment of vulnerable and intimidated witnesses to be complete.

Asked by

Ray Powell (Labour)

Answering body

Home Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

11 May 1998

Reference

312 c55-6W; 41591

House

House of Commons

Home Office

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) legal practitioners and (b) victims have taken part in the inter-departmental review of vulnerable and intimidated witnesses announced on 13th June 1997.

Asked by

James Clappison (Conservative)

Answering body

Home Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

24 April 1998

Reference

310 c703W; 39382

House

House of Commons

Home Office

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 20th January 1998, 304 c507-10w, on departmental reviews, if the inter-departmental review of the Treatment of Vulnerable and Intimidated Witnesses announced on 13th June 1997 has been completed; and if he proposes to publish its...

Asked by

James Clappison (Conservative)

Answering body

Home Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

23 April 1998

Reference

310 c677W; 39377

House

House of Commons

Home Office

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, What plans he has to introduce further measures to protect (a) child witnesses and (b) vulnerable adults in the court system. (Failed OPQ).

Asked by

Joan Humble (Labour)

Answering body

Home Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

30 March 1998

Reference

35179; 309 c390W

House

House of Commons

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