Sarah Champion: The amendments are all on specialist community-based support, which I have a great deal of time and respect for. I know that the Minister is very aware of its value, so I hope that I am pushing at an open door in support of it, even if he might have different opinions about where that support should land. Going back to amendment 57, I repeat that the inclusion of guidance and IDVAs and ISVAs...
Sarah Champion: The Minister has put forward a persuasive argument. I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment.
Sarah Champion: I beg to move amendment 57, in clause 15, page 12, line 5, at end insert— “(c) independent stalking advocacy caseworkers”. This amendment would ensure the Secretary of State must also provide guidance around stalking advocates, rather than limiting to ISVAs and IDVAs.
Sarah Champion: That is very decent of you, Mr Hosie. Thank you very much. Amendments 57 and 56 attempt to ensure that the Secretary of State must also provide guidance around stalking advocates, rather than just limiting it to ISVAs and IDVAs. I hope that I will be able to make my argument to the Minister using his own words from earlier. The Bill as it currently stands, in my opinion and that of many...
Sarah Champion: At this point, does the Minister have details of who will be on the oversight board?
Sarah Champion: Yeah, I’ll do it.
Sarah Champion: I take the Minister’s comments at face value and am glad that we have them on the record. On that basis, I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment.
Sarah Champion: I beg to move amendment 90, in clause 13, page 11, line 19, leave out paragraph (b) and insert— “(b) any assessment of the victim support services consulted in carrying out their duty under section (12).” This amendment would ensure that when preparing the strategy for collaboration, relevant authorities must have regard to any assessment of the victim support services consulted under...
Sarah Champion: I pause the Minister at the point of the black hole that he may well be about to backfill. If, in doing the assessment, the authorities found a big gap in provision in, say, Muslim women’s support services, would they then have to fill that gap and provide those services or would they just say, “Oh, that’s awful; we have a big gap in those services”?
Sarah Champion: For me, this amendment comes back to the idea that “you only know what you know”. My concern is that if the Minister, the Secretary of State, is clear that this assessment needs to be done and if gaps are found, there is the need to fill those gaps; I still do not have the assurances. I am thinking of situations where, for example, English is not someone’s first language or they need...
Sarah Champion: I beg to move amendment 86, in clause 13, page 11, line 27, at end insert— “(5A) The relevant authorities must publish an annual report containing— (a) information about the action they have taken to implement the strategy prepared under this section, and (b) information about their compliance with the duty to collaborate under section 12 of this Act.” This amendment would require the...
Sarah Champion: I apologise for taking up so much of the Committee’s time; I am very grateful for everyone’s indulgence. I do it just to try to get the best Bill, one that we can all be proud of. Amendment 86 would require the relevant authorities to publish an annual report about the implementation of the strategy and their compliance with the duty to collaborate in the exercise of victim support...
Sarah Champion: The amendment was probing and provided a good opportunity for me to remember how hard you fought the last time you were in this role to get multi-year funding agreements in place. It helps enormously to have you in post and to get you on the record. I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment.
Sarah Champion: Sorry!
Sarah Champion: I beg to move amendment 85, in clause 13, page 11, line 13, at end insert— “(ba) persons appearing to the relevant authorities to represent persons providing relevant victim support services for children, (bb) victims,”. This amendment would require the relevant authorities to consult victims and organisations providing support to child victims in preparing their strategy.
Sarah Champion: Apologies for getting overexcited, Mr Hosie. Amendment 81 is supported by London’s Victims’ Commissioner, Claire Waxman, and it is worth reminding the Committee that Claire started campaigning for a victims Bill in 2014 or 2015. I pay huge tribute to her for never giving up. The fact that we are here debating it is in no small part due to her campaigning. Amendment 85 is supported by the...
Sarah Champion: I wonder whether the Minister will give a bit of clarity. A lot of the solutions he is setting out are based on the statutory guidance; will we get draft statutory guidance before the Bill receives Royal Assent, or will it only come afterwards?
Sarah Champion: The Minister referred to the draft draft victims code consultation, but we have been unable to find that, so will he share it with the Committee?
Sarah Champion: I beg to move amendment 87 in clause 13, page 11, line 3, at end insert— ‘(aa) prepare an assessment of the needs of victims (including victims who are children or have other protected characteristics) in the area,’. This amendment would require the relevant authorities in a police area in England to assess the needs of victims in their area.
Sarah Champion: Both amendments seek to ensure that the strategy for collaboration takes into account victims’ needs. Amendment 87 would require the relevant authorities to begin the strategy of preparing an assessment of victims’ needs. That must include a specific requirement to assess the need of child victims and those with other protected characteristics, who are particularly vulnerable and must be...