Lexis®Library update: In the response, the Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Sir Bob Neill MP has stated that of the 47 recommendations, five will be accepted. The Bill will be amended to include bereaved families, children who have witnessed domestic abuse and individuals born of rape within the definition of a victim, an obligation will be put on criminal justice agencies to make victims aware of the Victims’ Code in law, regulations will be introduced to standardise data, statutory guidance will be issued on the role of Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs) and Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs) and the omission of the Code oversight function from the Victim Commissioner’s remit will be corrected.
• The government's response is accessible here.
• The JC's ‘Pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Victims Bill’ report is accessible here.
This content was first published by LNB News / Lexis®Library, a LexisNexis® company, on 20 January 2023 and is published with permission. Further information can be found at: www.lexisnexis.co.uk.