The Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 (Victims’ Code of Practice) Order 2013

Statutory Instruments

2013 No. 2907

Criminal Law, England And Wales

The Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 (Victims’ Code of Practice) Order 2013

Made

14th November 2013

Laid before Parliament

18th November 2013

Coming into force

10th December 2013

The Secretary of State for Justice makes the following Order in exercise of the powers conferred by section 33(7) and (8) of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004(1) (“the Act”).

In accordance with section 32(1) of the Act, the Secretary of State brought into operation on 3rd April 2006 a code of practice in respect of the services to be provided to a victim of criminal conduct by persons appearing to him to have functions relating to victims of criminal conduct or any aspect of the criminal justice system. Under section 33(8) of the Act, the Secretary of State for Justice may from time to time revise a code previously brought into operation.

In accordance with section 33(2) to (4) of the Act, in preparing a draft of the revised code the Secretary of State for Justice consulted with the Attorney General and the Secretary of State for the Home Department and after doing so published it.

In accordance with section 33(5) of the Act, in considering representations made to him about the draft the Secretary of State for Justice consulted with the Attorney General and the Secretary of State for the Home Department and modified it in the light of them.

In accordance with section 33(9) of the Act, it appears to the Secretary of State for Justice that the proposed revisions would not result in a significant reduction in the quality or extent of the services to be provided under the code, or a significant restriction in the description of persons to whom services are to be provided under the code.

In accordance with section 33(6) of the Act, the Secretary of State laid the code of practice before Parliament on 29th October 2013.

Citation and commencement

1.  This Order may be cited as the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 (Victims’ Code of Practice) Order 2013 and comes into force on 10th December 2013.

Date on which the Code of Practice comes into operation

2.  The revised code of practice entitled “The Code of Practice for Victims of Crime” laid before Parliament on 29th October 2013 shall come into operation on 10th December 2013.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Justice

Damian Green

Minister of State

Ministry of Justice

14th November 2013

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order brings the revised code of practice entitled “The Code of Practice for Victims of Crime” into operation on 10th December 2013. The revised code of practice replaces the code of practice that was brought into operation on 3rd April 2006 by S.I. 2006/629.

Online copies of the revised code of practice can be accessed at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-code-of-practice-for-victims-of-crime and hard copies can be obtained by emailing [e-mail] or writing to the following address:

Victim and Criminal Proceedings Policy Team

Ministry of Justice

102 Petty France

London SW1H 9AJ

(1)

2004 c. 28; sections 32 and 33 were amended by article 8 of, and paragraph 10(1) to (3) of Part 1 of the Schedule to, S.I. 2007/2128.