Appendix 2
Letter from Paul Goggins MP, Minister of State,
to Sir Patrick Cormack MP, Chairman of the Committee, 5 July 2007,
re Community-based Restorative Justice Schemes
Thank you for your letter of 14 June to the Secretary
of State regarding funding for Community-based Restorative Justice
schemes. As the Minister with responsibility for Community-based
Restorative Justice I have undertaken to reply.
The Secretary of State and my predecessor David Hanson
were very grateful to the Committee for their comprehensive and
thorough inquiry into the provisions of the draft Protocol. As
David noted in his formal response to the Committees report there
is currently no budget within the Northern Ireland Office available
for the activities of CBRJ groups and all funding streams will
be subject to the constraints of the current Comprehensive Spending
Review.
Schemes work in a variety of disciplines, for example
in neighbourhood mediation, community support and youth diversion
as well as with offenders and victims on issues of low level crime.
It is therefore to be expected that their funding will necessarily
need to come from a variety of potential statutory, voluntary
and charitable sources.
I am keenly aware of the very difficult financial
circumstances of their current operation and am seeking to move
forward with the process of accreditation as quickly as possible.
Northern Ireland Alternatives (NIA) are currently
entering the final stages of the process leading to accreditation.
On successful completion of that process statutory agencies will
be free to fund those activities which meet their funding criteria.
Indeed, I am aware that NIA are already liaising with a number
of agencies on the opportunities to form strategic partnerships
in delivery services.
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