§ Mr. DismoreTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on arrangements for supporting witnesses in magistrates' courts. [47009]
§ Mr. MichaelWe are committed to providing a more co-ordinated service to witnesses through the implementation locally of 'National Standards of Witness Care in the Criminal Justice System'.
Schemes supporting witnesses and other users of magistrates courts already exist in many parts of the country. Some are run by National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders, some by Victim Support, while others have been established as a result of local initiatives. The possibility of improving support for users of magistrates courts is currently under consideration against the backdrop of the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review. We hope it will be possible to announce the outcome of this consideration later in the year.