Clause 122
6:30 pm
Maria Eagle (Parliamentary Secretary, Government Equalities Office; Liverpool, Garston, Labour)
I understand the hon. Gentleman’s point. There are complaints procedures in all public authorities, and I accept the argument by my right hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth that there are many different agencies in the criminal justice system, but we have done a lot more locally and nationally to join up the agencies and make them talk to each other.
We have a nationwide victim support body that is funded generously by central Government to give advice. There are citizens advice bureaux and, I hesitate to say, local Members, although we do end up being one place where people seek advice. At the end of the day, however, the criminal justice agencies have to, and ought to, deal with complaints properly. There is a series of ombudsmen thereafter. Of course, one cannot take judicial decisions to them, but criminal justice agencies do certain things that one might. We do not want to impose or create some other portal that may or may not help, however.