Commentary on Sections Northern Ireland Section 56: Grants for assisting victims, witnesses etc
155.Section 56 will give the Secretary of State power to give grants to such persons or organisations as he considers appropriate in connection with measures intended to provide personal support to victims of crime, witnesses of crime, and others affected by crime. The section allows the Secretary of State to attach conditions to the giving of the grant.
156.The Home Office currently gives annual grants to several voluntary organisations which help victims and witnesses. This section will regularise the Home Office position in relation to current and future core funding programmes for victims and witnesses, and is consistent with Treasury best practice that there should be specific statutory authority for regular government grants to voluntary sector bodies.