To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in which constituencies in the UK young witness support is available to children who appear in court; and how much his Department spent on providing such services in each of the last five years. (124889)

The Government give Victim Support an annual grant to run the community service to support victims of crime and a witness service in every Crown court, magistrates court and youth court. The current grant is £30 million, including £2 million which is ring-fenced to provide enhanced services for vulnerable and intimidated witnesses, including children.

Since 2004 we have set up witness care units in all areas of England and Wales, providing tailored support for witnesses, including children and their parents or carers, once a charge is made. The units are run jointly by the Crown Prosecution Service and the police. The total funding allocated to the project over the last three years was £36 million.

Under the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999, we introduced special measures, such as screens and video links, to make the experience of giving evidence less difficult for children and other vulnerable and intimidated witnesses.

We have also provided a Young Witness Pack and other resources, specifically for young witnesses, and are implementing a programme for improvement of facilities for young witnesses in court buildings.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what witness support is available to children in Portsmouth. (124988)

Young witnesses in Portsmouth should be benefiting from a number of initiatives which we have introduced to increase the support and information available for victims and witnesses throughout England and Wales.

The Government provide an annual grant to Victim Support to run the community service to support victims of crime and a witness service in every criminal court. The current grant of £30 million includes £2 million which is ring-fenced to provide enhanced services for vulnerable and intimidated witnesses, including children. Part of this ring-fenced funding is allocated by the Victim Support Funding Panel to Hampshire Victim Support to provide a specialist young witness support scheme in that area.

We have also introduced Witness Care Units throughout England and Wales, which provide a single point of contact within the criminal justice system, once a charge has been made. Witness Care Units carry out a needs assessment to identify the information, emotional and practical needs of the witness, and in the case of a child witness, their parents or carers where appropriate. The Portsmouth Witness Care Unit has considerably enhanced the standard of service for witnesses in Hampshire, including child witnesses.

Under the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999, we introduced special measures, such as screens and video links, to make the experience of giving evidence less difficult for children and other vulnerable and intimidated witnesses.

We have also provided a Young Witness Pack and other resources, specifically for young witnesses, and are implementing a programme for improvement of facilities for young witnesses in court.