LEARNING-DISABLED AND THE JUSTICE SYSTEM

Early day motion 460, tabled 13 November 1997 by Malcolm Wicks (Labour). Signed by 116 members.

That this House believes that many learning-disabled victims of crime are denied a fair hearing in court because they are seen as unreliable witnesses; believes that this leads to criminals, including abusers, seeing such people as easy targets and that many criminals go unpunished; therefore welcomes the establishment of the Home Office's inter-departmental review of the criminal justice system; and calls upon the review to consider how learning disabled victims can receive fair treatment within the criminal justice system and in particular from the Crown Prosecution Service and the courts.

Signatures by party: Labour 82, Liberal Democrat 23, Labour/Co-operative 6, Conservative 2, UUP 2, Plaid Cymru 1.