This House of Lords Library Briefing has been prepared in advance of the second reading in the House of Lords of the Victims of Crime (Rights, Entitlements, and Notification of Child Sexual Abuse) Bill [HL], scheduled to take place on 19 July 2019.
Victims of Crime (Rights, Entitlements, and Notification of Child Sexual Abuse) Bill [HL]: Briefing for Lords Stages (246 KB , PDF)
The Victims of Crime (Rights, Entitlements, and Notification of Child Sexual Abuse) Bill [HL] is a private member’s bill introduced by Baroness Brinton (Liberal Democrat). The bill had its first reading in the House of Lords on 6 July 2017. It is scheduled to receive its second reading on 19 July 2019.
The bill is intended to improve protections for the victims of crime. It would create new rights and entitlements for victims, including regarding court treatment and police protections. Victims of crime would also have the right to request reviews into how crimes have been investigated. In addition, the bill would extend a new duty for people working with children to notify the police if they suspected someone had been a victim of sexual abuse.
Victims of Crime (Rights, Entitlements, and Notification of Child Sexual Abuse) Bill [HL]: Briefing for Lords Stages (246 KB , PDF)
The European Convention on Human Rights was signed by the members of the Council of Europe, including the UK, in Rome in 1950. The UK was one of the first states to ratify it in 1951 and it is now incorporated into UK law through the Human Rights Act 1998. The UK government has recently restated its unequivocal commitment to the convention.
The crown court backlog reached a record high of 73,105 cases in September 2024. The impact on victims, witnesses and defendants has been significant as they wait longer for their cases to be resolved. The government commissioned an independent review of criminal courts that will produce reform recommendations to address crown court pressures. Whilst stakeholders have welcomed the review, some have called for more immediate action to reduce the backlog.
Iranian authorities have detained British and dual nationals on various charges in recent years, including espionage. The exact number of those detained is not published because some choose to avoid publicity. UN human rights experts have referred to “systemic arbitrary detention” in Iran. The Labour government plans to support British nationals detained overseas by creating a special envoy for complex detention cases and ensuring a legal right to consular assistance.
