§ Mr. BeithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the impact of measures contained in the Crime and Disorder Bill [Lords] on restorative justice initiatives being undertaken at present. [33678]
§ Mr. MichaelThe Government believe that offenders—especially young offenders—should be made to face up to the impact of their offences on other people. We are following closely the development of restorative justice both in this country and abroad and recognise that, in appropriate circumstances, this approach may well be able to provide a useful tool for addressing law and order problems, particularly where young people are involved. We welcome the work to develop these ideas, such as that undertaken by the Thames Valley Police and the Northamptonshire Diversion Scheme.
We plan to reflect existing best practice in guidance to support the implementation of the new Final Warning Scheme introduced by the Bill. The new Reparation Order also introduced by the Bill and our proposals for reform of the youth court, set out in the White Paper "No More Excuses", are likewise consistent with the principles of restorative justice.