Member

I turn now to the question of homicides abroad. Amendment 42 in the names of the noble Baronesses, Lady Brinton and Lady Finlay, has the objective of including bereaved families within the application of the victims’ code in cases of homicides of British nationals that have occurred outside the United Kingdom. I thank both noble Baronesses for continuing to raise this important matter. I completely understand how devastating it is for the families to be confronted by this and how arid and alien is the landscape that confronts them. The victims’ code applies to victims of crimes which can be prosecuted in England and Wales, and in fact this will already include some bereaved families where the homicide was committed abroad. Where offences are not capable of prosecution in the UK, most of the entitlements under the code cannot and therefore do not apply. We do not want to raise the expectations of the families in these cases unless we can actually deliver.