Victims' commissioner to be named after 'shocking' delay

Justice Secretary Alex Chalk has said that a new victims' commissioner will be appointed "shortly", after the job was left vacant for more than a year.

Dame Vera Baird accused the government of sidelining her position when she resigned in September 2022, and said victims' needs were being downgraded.

The government has been heavily criticised by campaign groups for taking so long to fill the role.

Mr Chalk said the government was committed to supporting victims.

The position was created in 2010 to ensure that the needs of victims were upheld in the justice system.

However, the government has been accused of "neglecting" victims with the "shocking" delay in finding a replacement, which has so far taken 13 months.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) had previously suggested final interviews would take place in December of last year.

In an open letter to the justice secretary last week, a coalition of groups said that it was "utterly essential" to have an independent advocate to speak for victims.

"The failure to appoint this role as the landmark Victims and Prisoners Bill passes through Parliament is an affront to victims and survivors," they added.

Mr Chalk, who took over at the MoJ in April, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Tuesday: "I will be appointing shortly, so I am pleased to be able to make an announcement."

"But it is right that as an incoming justice secretary you have got to consider it carefully and find someone you think is right."

He insisted that the government was "positive and motivated" about supporting victims, citing:

• the passing of the domestic abuse act

• the outlawing of 'revenge porn'

• the removal of the 'rough sex gone wrong' defence

• the outlawing of 'upskirting'

• the introduction of a victims' code.

The previous commissioner, Dame Vera, had been in the job since 2019 but left with a parting shot at the then-justice secretary, Sir Brandon Lewis, and his predecessor, Dominic Raab, in an open resignation letter.

Dame Vera Baird resigned last September

Dame Vera, a former Labour minister and lawyer, said the government had left the justice system in "chaos" and suggested Mr Raab had failed to meet her regularly or engage with the plight of victims.

The government announced in March 2022 that Mr Raab was recruiting for the role, but was not automatically offering Dame Vera a second term - a break from recent precedent.

She had been repeatedly and publicly encouraged to reapply for her role and was found to be appointable by the appointments process.

However, despite this, Dame Vera was asked to extend her term only until December 2022 while a replacement was sought.

She extended until the end of September before resigning.

Andrea Simon, director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, branded the delay in finding a replacement "shocking", arguing it suggested that the government "don't see it as that much of a priority."

She told Today on Tuesday that it was "hard to understand" why the process had taken so long and said the sector advocating for victims of violence against women and girls had repeatedly asked ministers what was happening.

Ms Simon added: "That continued absence of a commissioner in place to be able to scrutinise and comment on the proposed legislation is surely letting down victims and looks very much like evading responsibility on the part of the government."

Katie Kempen, the chief executive of Victim Support, told BBC News that the charity was "pleased" to hear that a new commissioner would be appointed and urged Mr Chalk to do so "without delay".

"The void where there should be a strong advocate for victims and survivors has never felt starker", she said.

"There are chronic backlogs in the courts, public trust in the police is declining, and the landmark Victims and Prisoners Bill is passing through Parliament without a Commissioner to scrutinise the legislation."

The MoJ and Dame Vera declined to comment further on the new appointment.