Support for Victims of Ecocide

Justice – in the House of Commons at on 10 December 2024.

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Photo of Danny Chambers Danny Chambers Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)

What steps her Department is taking through the criminal justice system to help support victims of ecocide.

Photo of Alex Davies-Jones Alex Davies-Jones The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice

The victims code sets out the services and support that victims of crime are entitled to receive from the criminal justice system in England and Wales. That includes the right to access support, which applies regardless of whether they decide to report the crime directly to the police. We provide police and crime commissioners with annual grant funding to commission local, practical, emotional, and therapeutic support services for all victims of crime.

Photo of Danny Chambers Danny Chambers Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)

England is home to 85% of the world’s chalk streams, which are very rare habitats. In Winchester we are lucky to have the Rivers Itchen and Meon running through the constituency. We know that they are struggling, with only 17% of chalk streams rated as having good ecological health. That is partly because of over-abstraction, partly because of pollution, and partly because of water companies dumping sewage in them. We know that that not only destroys biodiversity but makes people who swim in it sick. Will the Minister, in addition to coming down harder on water companies, commit to implementing a sewage victims compensation scheme for that particular problem?

Photo of Alex Davies-Jones Alex Davies-Jones The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice

I will ensure that the hon. Member’s comments are passed to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Minister responsible for water quality. I can confirm that we are committed to delivering for nature, taking action to meet our targets in the Environment Act 2021, and that we work in partnership with civil society, communities and businesses to restore and protect our natural world.