Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 on victims’ participation in parole hearings.

Victims’ participation in parole is managed through the Victim Contact Scheme run by HMPPS. Victims can submit a Victim Personal Statement to the Parole Board explaining the effect that the crime has had on them and their family. They can also make representations, which may inform the Parole Board’s consideration of licence conditions, should release be directed. Additionally, victims can also apply to observe a Parole Board oral hearing to see how parole panels assess the offender’s risk.

The Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 legislated for the codified public protection test, which requires the Parole Board to have particular regard to the protection of the victim when considering release. Other measures in the Act, once implemented, will ensure victims know about their rights under the Victims’ Code and that these entitlements are met by criminal justice agencies, as well as driving more strategic commissioning through the Duty to Collaborate.