Victims and Prisoners Act 2024

3 Preparing and issuing the victims’ code

(1) This section applies in relation to the code of practice required to be issued under section 2.

(2) The Secretary of State must prepare a draft of the code.

(3) In preparing the draft the Secretary of State must consult—

(a) the Attorney General,

(b) the Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses, and

(c) the Welsh Ministers.

(4) After preparing the draft the Secretary of State must—

(a) publish the draft, and

(b) specify a period during which representations about the draft may be made to the Secretary of State.

(5) The Secretary of State must—

(a) consider, in consultation with the Attorney General, any representations about the draft made to the Secretary of State before the end of the period specified in accordance with subsection (4)(b), and

(b) if the Secretary of State thinks it appropriate, modify the draft in the light of any such representations.

(6) After carrying out the duties under subsection (5), the Secretary of State must lay the draft code before Parliament.

(7) When the draft code has been laid before Parliament in accordance with subsection (6), the Secretary of State must bring it into operation on such day as the Secretary of State appoints by regulations.

(8) A requirement under any of subsections (2) to (5) may be met by steps taken before (as well as after) this section comes into force.