{ "format" : "linked-data-api", "version" : "0.2", "result" : {"_about" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMember.label=Biography+information+for+Mrs+Emma+Lewell-Buck&answer.isMinisterialCorrection=false&max-date=2019-05-20&answer.answeringMemberPrinted=Edward+Argar", "definition" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/meta/answeredquestions.text?tablingMember.label=Biography+information+for+Mrs+Emma+Lewell-Buck&answer.isMinisterialCorrection=false&max-date=2019-05-20&answer.answeringMemberPrinted=Edward+Argar", "extendedMetadataVersion" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMember.label=Biography+information+for+Mrs+Emma+Lewell-Buck&answer.isMinisterialCorrection=false&max-date=2019-05-20&_metadata=all&answer.answeringMemberPrinted=Edward+Argar", "first" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMember.label=Biography+information+for+Mrs+Emma+Lewell-Buck&_page=0&answer.isMinisterialCorrection=false&max-date=2019-05-20&answer.answeringMemberPrinted=Edward+Argar", "hasPart" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMember.label=Biography+information+for+Mrs+Emma+Lewell-Buck&answer.isMinisterialCorrection=false&max-date=2019-05-20&answer.answeringMemberPrinted=Edward+Argar", "isPartOf" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMember.label=Biography+information+for+Mrs+Emma+Lewell-Buck&answer.isMinisterialCorrection=false&max-date=2019-05-20&answer.answeringMemberPrinted=Edward+Argar", "items" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126553", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126553/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

Tackling historical sexual abuse and bringing perpetrators to justice is a government priority. It is vital that victims are provided with support to cope and recover from the impact of crime, regardless of whether they choose to report the crime to the police.<\/p>

<\/p>

The right of defendants in Crown Court cases to be tried by their peers is a fundamental part of our justice system and the government has no plans to interfere with it.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4362", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Edward Argar"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Charnwood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Edward Argar"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-05-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-05-20T13:30:12.513Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Offences against Children: Trials"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has made an assessment of the potential effect on victims of historical child sexual abuse of providing them with an alternative to court proceedings involving a jury trial.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4277", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Shields"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck"} ], "uin" : "254206"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126189", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126189/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

The Government\u2019s first ever cross-government Victims Strategy outlines our commitments to victims of crime.<\/p>

<\/p>

The Crown Prosecution Service is responsible for the prosecution of criminal cases. Victims of crime are not separately represented in criminal trials.<\/p>

<\/p>

Victims of historic sexual abuse have access to an independent sexual violence adviser (ISVA). The ISVA\u2019s role is to ensure the victim receives the right support before, during and after legal proceedings. As part of proceedings, a victim may be called to give evidence as a witness for the prosecution. ISVAs will work alongside the Court-Based Witness Service to support the victim to give their best evidence and participate in the court process.<\/p>

<\/p>

In April this year, the Ministry of Justice awarded £8m in funding to rape support centres to provide emotional and practical support to victims of sexual violence and historic sexual abuse, including the provision of ISVA services. We also provided a grant of £11.2m to Citizens Advice for the delivery of the Court-Based Witness Service.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4362", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Edward Argar"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Charnwood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Edward Argar"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-05-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-05-16T16:44:33.62Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Sexual Offences: Legal Representation"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, under what circumstances in cases involving historical sexual abuse are victims entitled to legal representation.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4277", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Shields"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck"} ], "uin" : "253582"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126190", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126190/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

Tackling historical sexual abuse and bringing perpetrators to justice is a government priority.<\/p>

<\/p>

Some victims of historical sexual abuse may be called to give evidence in criminal trials however a victim is not a party to a criminal case, as the Crown prosecutes. Victims and witnesses are not required to defend themselves or provide evidence to support their statements.<\/p>

Rules of evidence do not permit the Crown to call evidence of the good character of a prosecution witness in order to bolster their credibility where it is not relevant to an issue in the case.<\/p>

If the defendant attacks the character of a witness, evidence of the defendant\u2019s bad character may be admissible as evidence.<\/p>

<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4362", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Edward Argar"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Charnwood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Edward Argar"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-05-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-05-16T16:31:42.887Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Criminal Proceedings: Sexual Offences"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, under what circumstances in cases involving historical sexual abuse are victims entitled to have character references used in their defence.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4277", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Shields"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck"} ], "uin" : "253583"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126191", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126191/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

Protection orders are an important tool for keeping victims safe and preventing the continuation or escalation of violence.<\/p>

<\/p>

Protections for victims of sexual offences, including historic abuse include:<\/p>