It was an honour for me to spend some time again with Claire and Lauren Holmes in Westminster recently, who I have been proud to work with for some time, ahead of their meeting with the Minister of State for Prisons, Parole and Probation, the Rt. Hon Damian Hinds MP, in which they brought their campaign for justice for their sister, Collette, to Parliament.
Facilitating this meeting was of the upmost importance in allowing their views and experiences to be heard by the Ministers who have the direct ability to make a real difference, especially given that the important Victims & Prisoners Bill is about to come before Parliament, with its Second Reading in the House set for next week. Indeed, with that legislation about to be debated by Parliament, with a view to better supporting victims, keeping the public safe, and ensuring that those responsible for serious and violent crime feel the full consequences of their actions, there’s some really important issues here that Ministers ought to be hearing about and reflecting upon as we work to change the law most effectively.
I think it’s impossible for anyone to not be incredibly troubled by the experiences of Lauren and Claire and their entire family, and Collette's loss is still as important and concerning to us all in Corby as it ever was - it was a devastating tragedy that should never have happened. As a family, they have done a remarkable job, showing real bravery in talking about these issues and their experiences, through their campaign, and there is no doubt that Collette’s memory lives on through them. Their desire to ensure that their pain and suffering is not felt by other families is not only selfless, but inspirational, too.
Ultimately, it is really important that their experiences are heard by senior Ministers and those who have responsibility for changing the law and policy around it - as we will begin the process of doing as MPs next week, with the Second Reading of the Bill - and I am extremely grateful to the Minister for meeting with us, and I am sure he will be reflecting seriously on the points we discussed as he goes into that debate.