Part 1: Victims of Criminal Conduct Victims’ Code Section 10: Code awareness and reviewing compliance: Ministry of Defence Police
Subsection (2) places a duty on the Chief Constable of the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) to take reasonable steps to promote awareness of the victims’ code among users of relevant services and other members of the public. The inclusion of ‘reasonable’ gives bodies the flexibility to tailor their approach in different circumstances. This allows for those working in the system to use their expertise to determine the most appropriate moment and method of sharing the Code.
	Subsection (3) places a duty on the MDP and the Secretary of State (in practice, this would be the Secretary of State for Defence) to keep under review MDP’s compliance with the duty in Section 5(1) (duty to provide services in accordance with the Victims’ Code) ("Code compliance"). As the MDP is a national force, it does not fall within PCC areas. The Secretary of State for Defence is therefore the appropriate alternative to the PCC for overseeing compliance with the Victims’ Code. As the MDP is a national force, it does not fall within PCC areas. The Secretary of State for Defence is therefore the appropriate alternative to the PCC for overseeing compliance with the Victims’ Code
	Subsections (4) (a)-(c) specify that the Chief Constable of the MDP must collect information about their Code compliance and share information about their Code compliance with the Secretary of State (in practice, this would be the Secretary of State for Defence). The MDP is also required to jointly review the information shared with the Secretary of State. Regulations will be used to prescribe the information to be collected and/or shared. The Government intends that this will include; data relating to MDP’s compliance with the delivery of responsible services under the Victims’ Code and information relating to the experiences of service users.
	Subsection (5)(a)-(b) require the Secretary of State (in practice, this would be the Secretary of State for Defence) to participate in a review of the information shared by MDP with them, and to prepare reports on matters in connection with any review as may be prescribed in regulations. Regulations issued by the Secretary of State will prescribe the information to be collected and/or shared and what reports in connection with the joint review of information should be prepared, including the matters upon which reports they should be prepared. It is intended that the information to be collected and shared will include; data on their compliance with the delivery of responsible services under the Victims’ Code and information relating to the experiences of service users.
	A memorandum of understanding will be used to set out arrangements relating to the sharing of information, where it is anticipated that the MDP will review and share information with the Secretary of State for Defence who will then share information and reports with the Secretary of State for Justice.
	Subsection (7)(a)-(d) sets out a non-exhaustive list of the matters that regulations made under this section may include. This includes prescribing the information to be collected or shared including different information in relation to different services, how information may be collected from victims with protected characteristics and different experiences, the times at which or periods within which information must be collected, shared, or reviewed, and the form that it should be collected and shared in. It also includes the times at which or periods within which information must be collected, shared, or reviewed and the form in which information or a report is to be provided by the MDP to the Secretary of State including as may be specified in a notice issued from time to time by the Secretary of State.
	Subsection (8) places a duty on the Secretary of State (in practice, this would be the Secretary of State for Justice) to consult the Victims’ Commissioner and such other persons as the Secretary of State considers appropriate before making regulations. This enables discretion for targeted consultation with those affected and with a specific interest, which it is anticipated may include, for example the MDP.