Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to to improve transparency and communication with victims across the criminal justice system.

This Government is taking a number of actions to improve communication and information to victims of crime.

To improve communication with victims, we are bringing the existing separate victim communication schemes into one, providing a much clearer single offer for victims. This updated Victim Contact Scheme (VCS) will make it easier for eligible victims to request licence conditions and receive information about their offender’s release. We will also provide a new route for other victims to request information via a new dedicated helpline, giving victims confidence about the routes available to receive information about their offender’s release.

From spring 2027, all victims of crime whose cases are heard in the Crown Court will be able to request a free transcript of the sentencing remarks in their case. This is the most significant expansion of free access to sentencing remarks to date, extending provision from the current eligible groups to victims across all Crown Court cases.

Finally, we have also consulted on a new Victims Code, seeking views on how to improve the quality and timeliness of providing case information to victims, and improving how opportunities to participate are offered to victims. We are now taking the time to consider the responses, and we will issue a public response ahead of finalising the new Code and bringing it into force.