Legislation – Victims and Prisoners Act 2024
Changes to legislation:
Victims and Prisoners Act 2024, Section 34 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 20 October 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
Changes to Legislation
Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):
- s. 66(1)(2)s. 66(3)(a)–(e)(i)(f)(4)(5) coming into force by S.I. 2024/966 reg. 3(1)(a)
Part 2Victims of major incidents
Meaning of “major incident” etc
I134Meaning of “major incident” etc
I21
This Part concerns advocates for victims of major incidents.
I22
In this Part, “major incident” means an incident that—
a
occurs in England or Wales after this section comes into force,
b
causes the death of, or serious harm to, a significant number of individuals, and
c
is declared in writing by the Secretary of State to be a major incident for the purposes of this Part.
I23
Before declaring an incident that occurs in Wales to be a major incident, the Secretary of State must consult the Welsh Ministers.
I24
For the purposes of this Part, “harm” includes physical, mental or emotional harm.
I25
In this Part, “victims”, in relation to a major incident, means—
a
individuals who have suffered harm as a direct result of the incident (whether or not that harm is serious harm), and
b
close family members or close friends of individuals who have died or suffered serious harm as a direct result of the incident.
6
In this Part, “advocate” means—
I2b
an individual appointed as an advocate in respect of a major incident under section 36(1).
7
But a reference in this Part to an advocate appointed in respect of a major incident includes the standing advocate only if the standing advocate has been appointed in respect of that incident under section 36(1).