Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what requirement or guidance exists under the Victim’s Code to notify victims of child sexual abuse, or their guardians, when a defendant’s statutory two-year Supervision Order is due to lapse; and what reassurances are provided regarding ongoing public protection measures.

The Victims’ Code sets out the minimum standards of information and support that criminal justice agencies must provide to victims. This includes rights to information about the investigation and prosecution, the outcome of the case and, in specified circumstances, information about an offender following conviction.

A Supervision Order is imposed by the court for a fixed period and expires automatically when that period ends. The Victim’s code does not provide a separate right to notification when a Supervision Order is due to expire.

The expiry of a Supervision Order is the automatic conclusion of an order already set by the court, rather than a new decision or change in the offender’s custodial status, no separate right exists under the Victims’ Code to notify victims, or their family members or guardians, when a defendant’s Supervision Order is due to lapse. It should be distinguished from other protection measures which may be in place and would continue to apply independently of the supervision order.

Any ongoing arrangements to manage risk and protect the public are considered by those responsible for overseeing the Order.

More widely, the Government recognises that unfitness to plead cases may be difficult to understand as they do not follow the normal trial and sentencing route and we are considering how the court procedure can be made clearer and more supportive for victims and their families.