Independent panel to investigate riots

16 August 2011

The Government is to establish an independent panel to give victims of the riots a chance to "have their voice heard", Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said today.

In a press conference, Mr Clegg said that the communities and victims panel, which will be chaired by an independent figure, will produce a report within six to nine months to be presented to the leaders of all three main political parties.

It won't be a public inquiry, it won't be established under the Inquiries Act, but it will serve as a way in which victims and communities can have their voice heard.

The Deputy PM also confirmed plans for a "community payback scheme", with offenders helping to clean up areas hit by the disturbances.

Victims will also be given the right to confront those who damaged their neighbourhoods to reinforce the fact that the actions of rioters had consequences.

As part of the measures to end the "cycle of repeat crime", Mr Clegg also said that those released from jail from March next year would be "met at the prison gates" by providers in the Work Programme.

The offenders will be put through a "tough process so that they find work and they stay on the straight and narrow".