Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will bring forward a new Restorative Justice Action Plan, to replace the previous Plan that expired in 2018.

Under the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime, all victims must be told about the option of Restorative Justice and how to access it. We will use the Victims’ Bill to enshrine the Code into legislation, sending a clear signal that the justice system must deliver for victims.

We provide grant funding to Police and Crime Commissioners for victims’ support services, including Restorative Justice.  In the 2020-21 year, they spent £3.7 million from the funding we provided on restorative justice services. We will further bolster support for victims of crime, by increasing MoJ funding for victim and witness support services to £185 million by 2024-25.

The probation service is also working on a new framework for restorative justice, to ensure a more consistent approach, focusing on the people for whom it will make the biggest difference. I am carefully considering the recommendations of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Restorative Justice, which includes publication of a new action plan, and will respond in due course.