Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to support victim liaison officers.

It is vital that information about an offender’s release is available to victims who need it most. Victims who are eligible for, and who have opted into, the Probation Service Victim Contact Scheme or Victim Notification Scheme will be allocated a Victim Liaison Officer who will keep the victim updated on key stages throughout the sentence. This includes keeping victims informed, where appropriate, about any significant developments or changes relating to the sentence, including but not limited to changes to release dates.

The Victims Team in the Public Protection Group of His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service provides comprehensive support to Victim Liaison Officers and their managers, to enable them to communicate such changes effectively. This support includes specific briefings, guidance and template letters, to be adapted according to a victim’s individual circumstances.