The SNP have been accused of “letting down victims” as it has emerged that they are owed £155,000 by criminals.
Official figures highlight the arrears offenders have been allowed to build up since the introduction of the Victim Surcharge Fund in November 2019 – as well as ministers’ broken promises.
The SNP claimed that the fund would pay out £1million a year when it was launched in November 2019. But it has only generated £1.1m in total.
Shadow justice secretary Russell Findlay accused the nationalists of overpromising and underdelivering, and insisted they must finally start supporting victims and holding criminals to account.
Scottish Conservative shadow justice secretary Russell Findlay MSP said: “The VSF was established to provide much-needed financial compensation for victims but these significant arrears show that criminals are getting away without paying.
“In addition, the SNP promised that it would generate £1million each year. The reality is just a fraction of that.
“This scheme is just the latest example of the SNP letting down crime victims.
“That is typical of the SNP consistently over-promising and under-delivering, but also of their weak justice system that is stacked in favour of criminals and neglects victims.
“That must change – and SNP ministers should start by ensuring criminals pay their fines on time and that the VSF finally delivers what was promised.”
Notes
Criminals have failed to pay back £155,000 worth of Victim Surcharge fines. The value of Victim Surcharges which are in arrears total £155,000 since the scheme was introduced in November 2019. (Quarter fines report 58, 23 November 2023, Victim Surcharge Table, link).
Criminals have only paid £1.1 million worth of Victim Surcharge fines in nearly four years – despite the SNP promising £1 million would be delivered every single year. The total value of Victim Surcharge fines paid to date is £1.153 million since November 2019. The SNP manifesto in 2016 promised they would be ‘establishing a Scottish Victims Surcharge Fund, paid for by offenders, which will provide more than a million pounds a year of funding for practical help for victims of crime.’ (Quarter fines report 58, 23 November 2023, Victim Surcharge Table, link; SNP Manifesto 2016, 20 April 2016, link).