Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department plans to make an assessment of the (a) nature and (b) impact on victims of crime of restorative justice in the context of the Victims' Bill consultation.

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 have just consulted on how we can enshrine the Victims’ Code in legislation, to send a clear signal about what victims can and should expect from the criminal justice system. We also provide grant funding to Police and Crime Commissioners for victims’ support services, including restorative justice. In 2021/22, we are providing c£115m of grant funding to Police and Crime Commissioners for victims’ support services, including restorative justice. 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. PCCs are required to report to the Ministry of Justice every six months on the delivery of the funding, which we monitor closely. The National Probation Service is developing 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’s report and will respond in due course.