Letter from the Minister of State for Northern Ireland to Sir Patrick Cormack MP

I am grateful to you and the members of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee for your very thorough inquiry into the draft Protocol for Community-based Restorative Justice Schemes. As I explained in my letter of 5 February I have concluded, after careful reflection on all the points made to me, that the finalised protocol now provides the proper structure for effective engagement between schemes and the criminal justice system. I undertook to provide a more detailed response to the conclusions and recommendations of the Committee's investigation and this is enclosed.

I have written to the schemes inviting them to announce their intentions to conform to the Protocol by 6 April 2007 and thus take the first step in the accreditation process. The Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice stands ready to undertake inspection of schemes and advise on their state of readiness for formal accreditation under the Protocol.

I thank you and the Committee for their support and trust that you will feel that the concerns raised in the report have been adequately addressed in the enclosed response.