PCD 1687 Ministry of Justice Funding 2024/25 Pre-trial Support Services

MOPAC receives funding from the Ministry of Justice to partially pay for victim and witness support services MOPAC commissions in London. The Ministry of Justice has issued two grant agreements confirming MOPAC’s funding allocation for 2022-23 to 2024-25 which were formally accepted by the DMPC as per PCD 1235.     

In addition to this multi-year funding from the MoJ, MOPAC receives additional annual funding to the value of £488,832 from the MoJ. This amount is ringfenced for the delivery of pre-trial support for witnesses, devolved to MOPAC as per Memorandum of Understanding: Towards Justice Devolution signed by the Mayor in 2018. MoJ has recently issued an addendum to its core grant to the value of £488,832 to deliver pre-trial support to witnesses in London for the period 1st April 2024- 31st March 2025.     

This decision seeks approval to accept this additional funding, sign the MoJ General Grant Addendum, and manage the onward distribution of the funding via the London Victim and Witness Service (in line with decisions PCDs 1234 and 1517).  

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to:   

1.  Accept the Grant funding of £488,832 from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) for Pre-trial Support Services.    

2. Approve the onward allocation of this grant funding to the London Victim and Witness Service in line with PCDs 1234 and 1517.   

PART I - NON-CONFIDENTIAL FACTS AND ADVICE TO THE DMPC 

1. Introduction and background 

1. Since 1st April 2019, MOPAC has been responsible for the delivery of Pre-Trial Support for witnesses in London, devolved from central government as part of the Memorandum of Understanding: Towards Justice Devolution. MOPAC receives annual funding from MoJ to deliver on this responsibility, in addition to its core multi-year funding agreement.   

2. MOPAC discharges its duties to deliver this support through its core victim service the London Victim and Witness Service, supporting thousands of witnesses each year to prepare for court and give their best evidence. 

3. Issues for consideration  

1. Decision PCD 1325 confirmed acceptance of the multiyear grant from the MoJ for the provision of victim services. However, the MoJ did not include the budget for Pre-Trial Support within the multi-year grant agreement as it is subject to different decision-making processes.   

2. To accept this additional funding for pre-trial support, MOPAC is required to sign an Addendum to its General Grant Agreement from the MoJ which set out the conditions by which this funding is to be spent and the reporting requirements. The Addendum does not require match funding from MOPAC.   

3. The balance of funding set out in the addendum of £488,832.00 will be earmarked for activity relating to the provision of Pre-trial support for victims and witnesses of crime only. This is delivered through the London Victim and Witness Service and is committed in decisions PCD 1234 and 1517 respectively.   

3. Financial Comments 

1. This decision requests authority to accept additional MoJ grant funding of £488,832. This is the same value of funding provided and ringfenced for this service in all previous financial years since 1st April 2019.  

2. The £488,832 funding is already reflected in the 2024/25 budget.  

4. Legal Comments 

1. MOPAC’s general powers are set out in the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (the 2011 Act). Section 3(6) of the 2011 Act provides that MOPAC must “secure the maintenance of the metropolitan police service and secure that the metropolitan police service is efficient and effective.” Under Schedule 3, paragraph 7 (1) MOPAC has wide incidental powers to “do anything which is calculated to facilitate, or is conducive or incidental to, the exercise of the functions of the Office.” Paragraph 7(2) (a) provides that this includes entering into contracts and other agreements.   

2. Section 143 (1) (b) of the Anti-Social, Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014 provides for MOPAC to provide or commission services “intended by the local policing body to help victims or witnesses of, or other persons affected by, offences and anti-social behaviour.”  

5. Commercial Issues  

1. This Decision requests approval to accept grant funding of £488,832 from the MoJ for Pre-trail Support Services. This funding will be used as a funding source for MOPAC’s existing contract with Victim Support for provision of the London Victim and Witness Service. There is no requirement to vary the existing contract as this funding was included within the initial term. Decision 1235 approved the initial grant to which this funding relates.   

2. In accordance with 4.8 of MOPAC’s Scheme of Delegation, the DMPC can approve the acceptance and strategy to make use of grant funding. In accordance with 5.22 of the same, the Chief Executive can sign the grant addendum to accept funding from the MoJ. All grants and contracts which utilise this funding should incorporate the relevant terms from the grant agreement between MOPAC and the Ministry of Justice to ensure compliance.   

3. The actions proposed in this Decision can be taken in compliance with procurement legislation and MOPAC’s Contract Regulations.  

6. Public Health Approach  

7. The VRU will be consulted on services commissioned using this funding to ensure alignment with VRU activity and wider public health approach to tackling violence in London.  

8. GDPR and Data Privacy  

1. MOPAC will adhere to the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018 and ensure that any organisations who are commissioned to do work with or on behalf of MOPAC are fully compliant with the policy and understand their GDPR responsibilities.   

2. The extension to funding will not alter existing data protection measures in place for existing services. Where required, DPIAs will be updated to reflect the extension of corresponding services or funding.  

9. Equality Comments  

1. MOPAC is required to comply with the public sector equality duty set out in section 149(1) of the Equality Act 2010. This requires MOPAC to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations by reference to people with protected characteristics. The protected characteristics are: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.  

2. MOPAC will ensure Equalities considerations form part of all work commissioned with this funding. As part of the quarterly performance monitoring of each service we collect demographics information, which helps us to understand who is accessing each service and how any barriers to accessing may be overcome.  

10. Background/supporting papers 

• Annex 1 – MoJ Grant Addendum Notice: Number  

• Appendix 1 PCD 1235 – Acceptance of MOJ funding 2022-25 

• Appendix 2 PCD 1234 – Extension of the LVWS/CYP services (to 30th September 2024)  

• Appendix 3 – PCD 1517 – London Victim and Witness Service (from 1st October 2024)  

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