§ 30. Mr. BayleyTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to improve the support given by the courts to victims of crime. [3115]
§ Mr. HoonSeveral initiatives are already in place. A witness service scheme run by the charity Victim 619 Support is in operation at each Crown court centre and offers practical and emotional support for victims and witnesses. On 13 June, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced an additional grant of £1 million to Victim Support. Consideration is also being given to options for establishing similar victim and witness support schemes in magistrates courts. All courts contribute to local service level agreements based on national standards of witness care, agreed by the trials issues group, to improve on the support and care of victims who are called to be witnesses.
§ Mr. BayleyI thank my hon. Friend for his reply. I know that he has taken a close interest in the case of Peter Windass, my constituent who was murdered. Does he agree that the anguish suffered by Peter Windass's family was intensified by the insensitivity of the rules governing how the court service operates? For example, the family had to mingle with associates of a murderer in the public area of the court, and courts have no obligation to keep the family of a murder victim informed of progress in the case. Does he agree that if the criminal justice system fails to provide justice for the victims of serious crime, it is failing altogether? Will he undertake to consider the two points that I raised?
§ Mr. HoonI have read carefully my hon. Friend's speech during a recent Adjournment debate on that particular matter and I congratulate him on his constructive contribution to these important issues.
The Crown court centres at York and Sheffield, which were involved in supporting the family of Peter Windass, a homicide victim, were the origin of the complaint. The case was eventually heard at Sheffield which, at that time, offered poor public facilities. That may have led to the family's coming into contact with defence witnesses. The court is now housed in a purpose-built building with facilities to keep witnesses and their supporters separate from other court users.
This is precisely the kind of issue to which I referred a moment ago: it is crucial for the protection of witnesses and victims that we have modern, up-to-date court facilities. I will certainly undertake to look again at the issue if necessary.
§ Mr. HawkinsWhen the hon. Gentleman is considering changes to the procedures on consultation with victims of crime, will he also undertake to liaise with the Home Secretary about whether those who are involved in the prosecution of a case should be able to consult more fully than they do at present with the families of the victims of crime, and with the victims themselves, before decisions on sentencing, or whether to abandon a prosecution, are taken?