§ 19. Mr. RowlandsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the development of victim support services in England and Wales. [935]
§ Mr. MacleanThe new victim's charter, published in June 1996, establishes the continuing commitment of all the criminal justice agencies to improve their services to victims of crime. For example, last year the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board paid out £180 million to victims, making it by far the most generous such scheme anywhere in the world. And the Home Office grant to Victim Support since 1990–91 alone has risen 147 per cent. from £4,735 million to £11,682 million. This has enabled Victim Support to achieve nationwide coverage by establishing 365 local schemes and branches to support the victims of crime throughout England and Wales and to establish a witness support service at all 77 Crown court centres in the country. Victim Support's paid staff of over 800 and its 12,000 volunteers offer support to over one and a quarter million victims of crime a year.