Clause 33 - Grants for assisting victims, witnesses etc
Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill [Lords]
3:15 pm
Mr Paul Goggins (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Home Office; Wythenshawe and Sale East, Labour)
I was remiss of me not to respond during the debate on the amendments to my hon. Friend the Member for Brentford and Isleworth (Ann Keen). I will look carefully at her suggestion, because I am not able to give her a firm, clear answer now.
On clause stand part, my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Redcar, as ever, makes a number of important points. In relation to the provision of services to victims, it is not necessary that there is a conviction. I hope that that offers her some reassurance. On her other point, we will, as I promised this morning, consider the whole Bill and the role of the commissioner, and so on, so that it is clear that their remit covers antisocial behaviour.
After our previous discussions, I can only say to the hon. Member for North Down (Lady Hermon) that I share her pleasure that the clause is extended to cover Northern Ireland. I reassure her that I have had close consultations, personally and organisationally, with colleagues in the Northern Ireland Office—in particular, the Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon, to whom the hon. Lady referred. The clause legitimises current arrangements, and in that sense it does not introduce anything new. As the hon. Lady's suggested, the victims associated with the troubles would qualify under the clause.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 33 ordered to stand part of the Bill.