§ 11. Mr. Bellinghamasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the further assessment of the possibilities for reparation by offenders to their victims.
§ Mr. BrittanI have already indicated my intention to encourage and monitor schemes for reparation by offenders to victims. I shall be making a limited amount of money available to help experimental schemes designed to test different approaches and I am considering a number of proposals which have been put to me.
§ Mr. BellinghamI am grateful to my right hon. and learned Friend for that helpful answer. It is essential that defendants should be made aware of the dreadful harm that they inflict upon their victims. Will he make funds 500 available for setting up a direct reparation scheme in King's Lynn, where, with the help of a home watch scheme on the Fairstead estate, the police are now winning the local battle against crime?
§ Mr. BrittanI do not promise to support a particular scheme. However, if my hon. Friend sends me the details I shall consider it.