§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government
Whether the recommendation of the Victims Commissioner (Sir Kenneth Bloomfield) that in the longer term the interests of victims should be made the concern of a standing commission or protector or ombudsman for vicitms has been implemented; and, if so, what progress has been made. [HL3576]
§ Baroness Farrington of RibbletonGovernment have not pursued the recommendation but the matter is still open. Following publication of the report, government appointed a Minister for Victims. Des Browne, who took over from Adam Ingram in July 2001 and who meets regularly with victims and victims' groups to hear their stories and the issues that concern them. He is keeping the strategy for responding to victims' needs under regular review.
The role envisaged by Sir Kenneth Bloomfield was primarily that of watchdog over the services and advice available to victims. The Northern Ireland Executive is taking much of this work forward and its cross-departmental Strategy for Victims was launched on 11 April 2002.