Parliamentary questions and debates relating to VAWG
April
Justice: Sexual Offences, written answers, 30 April
2012
Priti Patel (Witham, Conservative) asked the Secretary of
State for Justice
(1) how many individuals convicted of (a) rape and (b)
sexual offences were aged (i) 16 years or under, (ii) 16 to 18
years, (iii) 18 to 21 years and (iv) 21 years and over when the
offence was committed in each of the last five years;
(2) what the average custodial sentence was for an offender
convicted of (a) rape and (b) other sexual offences and aged (i) 16
years or under, (ii) 16 to 18 years, (iii) 18 to 21 years and (iv)
21 years and over when the offence was committed in each of the
last five years.
click here to view the response
Justice: Legal Aid Scheme: Domestic Violence, written
answers, 23 April 2012
Susan Elan Jones (Clwyd South, Labour) asked the Secretary
of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the potential
effects of his proposed changes to legal aid funding on victims of
domestic violence.
click here to view the response
Justice: Legal Aid Scheme: Parents, written answers, 23
April 2012
Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury, Conservative) asked the
Secretary of State for Justice if he will consider extending legal
aid to both parents when contesting child custody cases; and if he
will make a statement.
click here to view the response
Women and Equalities: Young People: Sexual Offences,
written answers, 23 April 2012
Jeremy Lefroy (Stafford, Conservative) asked the Minister
for Women and Equalities what steps she is taking to prevent
teenage girls becoming victims of sexual violence.
click here to view the response
Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill:
Commons Reasons and Amendments, Lords debate, 23 April
2012
Lord McNally (Minister of State, Justice; Liberal Democrat)
stated My Lords, Motion B contains amendments in relation to
domestic violence.
click here to view the debate
Women and Equalities: LGB&T: Violence and
Discrimination, written answers, 23 April 2012
Jeremy Lefroy (Stafford, Conservative) asked the Minister
for Women and Equalities what steps she is taking to tackle
violence and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender people.
click here to view the response
March
Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill:
Report (3rd Day), Lords debates, 12 March 2012
Lord Bach (Labour) stated Last week, to their credit, the
Government pledged that they would sign up to the Council of Europe
convention on preventing and combating violence against women and
domestic violence. However, this sits slightly askew from the
Government's position on this Bill, despite their recognising that
without legal aid women are at much greater risk of being trapped
in an abusive relationship when their immigration status is
dependent on their abuser, or when a woman's insecure immigration
status is used as a means of control by an abuser.
click here to view the debate
Protection of Freedoms Bill: Third Reading, Lords
debates, 12 March 2012
Baroness Howe of Idlicote (Crossbench) stated It is a form
of psychological violence that may not be as visible as physical
violence against women but, my goodness, the long-term effects are
huge.
click here to view the debate
Justice: Legal Aid Scheme: Females, written answers, 12
March 2012
Andy Slaughter (Hammersmith, Labour) asked the Secretary of
State for Justice how many additional women he estimates will be
eligible for legal aid following the amendment made in the House of
Lords on 5 March 2012 to the Legal Aid Bill to specify the
evidential criteria for the purpose of accessing private family
legal aid.
click here to view the response
Home Department: Crime Prevention, written answers, 12
March 2012
John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington, Labour) asked the
Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she plans to
issue further guidance on the use of the Domestic Abuse, Stalking
and Honour Based Violence (DASH 2009) Risk Identification,
Assessment and Management Model by police forces in England and
Wales.
click here to view the response
February
Women and Equalities: Domestic and Family Violence,
Commons debate 23 February 2012
Robert Flello (Stoke-on-Trent South, Labour) asked What
steps she is taking to support victims of domestic and family
violence.
Rehman Chishti (Gillingham and Rainham, Conservative) stated
Honour-based violence is linked to domestic violence, and I am
sure the Minister is aware of a recent report stating that there
were more than 2,800 incidents of honour-based violence in our
country last year.
click here to view the debate
Home Department: Domestic Violence: Young People,
written answers, 23 February 2012
Kate Green (Stretford and Urmston, Labour) asked the
Secretary of State for the Home Department what perpetrator-focused
programmes her Department provides to help prevent domestic
violence; and whether any of these programmes are directed at
teenagers.
click here to view the response
Women and Equalities: Female Genital
Mutilation, Commons debate, 23 February 2012
Jane Ellison (Battersea, Conservative) asked What steps the
Government are taking to identify and safeguard girls at risk of
being taken out of the UK to undergo female genital
mutilation.
click here to view the debate
Justice: Violent and Sex Offender Register, written
answers, 22 February 2012
Philip Davies (Shipley, Conservative) asked the Secretary of
State for Justice what the highest number was of previous
convictions for failing to comply with a sex offenders register for
an individual convicted of an offence of failing to comply with a
sex offenders register without being sent to prison in each of the
last three years; and how many offences they had committed in total
at the point of sentence for this offence.
click here to view the response
Communities and Local Government: Refuges: Females,
written answers, 21 February 2012
Jim Cunningham (Coventry South, Labour) asked the Secretary
of State for Communities and Local Government what recent
assessment his Department has made of the number of available
places in women's refuges; and if he will make a
statement.
click here to view the response
Education: Females: Violence, written answers, 21
February 2012
Caroline Lucas (Brighton, Pavilion, Green) asked the
Secretary of State for Education what mechanisms his Department has
put in place to contact schools directly to inform them of
inter-ministerial work on addressing violence against women and
girls; by what direct mechanisms his Department inform schools
about the Home Office teen abuse campaign work; and via what
mechanisms his Department is directly contacting people workingwith
young people in (a) care settings, (b) youth settings and (c) pupil
referral units on addressing violence against women and girls; and
if he will make a statement.
click here to view the response
Home Department: Harassment: Internet, written answers,
6 February 2012
Steve Rotheram (Liverpool, Walton, Labour) asked the
Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to
work with (a) social media networks and (b) the Crown Prosecution
Service to support police investigations into cases of internet
harassment.
click here to view the response
People Trafficking - Question for Short Debate, Lords
debate, 2 February 2012
Lord Rogan (Crossbench) stated customers who pay for sex
with those who have been trafficked-people who are clearly under
duress or false pretences-should face the prospect of being charged
with rape.
click here to view the debate
Council of Europe - Question, Lords debate, 1 February 2012
Lord Howell of Guildford (Minister of State, Foreign and
Commonwealth Office; Conservative) stated A number of areas
need further consideration before a final decision can be made on
whether to sign the Council of Europe convention on preventing and
combating violence against women and domestic violence.
click here to view the debate
Prime Minister: Clause 10 - Responsibility for children
and young persons, Commons debate, Oral Answers to Questions,1
February 2012
Maria Miller (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Disabled
People), Work and Pensions; Basingstoke, Conservative) stated
Additionally, domestic violence victims will be completely
exempt from the application charge. I am sure the whole House will
welcome this announcement, which demonstrates that no family will
be deterred from accessing the statutory system purely on the basis
of cost.
click here to view the debate
January
Justice: Domestic Violence Victim Support, written
answers, 31 January 2012
Hazel Blears (Salford and Eccles, Labour) asked the
Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to support
victims of domestic violence in the criminal justice
system.
click here to view the response
Early Intervention, Commons debates, 31 January
2012
Andrea Leadsom (South Northamptonshire, Conservative) stated
Often, relationship or marital breakdown, extreme poverty, drug
abuse, perhaps domestic violence and other such issues make it
incredibly difficult for the mum and the family to find the love
that the baby desperately needs.
click here to view the debate
Justice: Victim Support, Commons debates, Oral Answers
to Questions, 31 January 2012
Charlotte Leslie (Bristol North West, Conservative) asked
What measures are the Government taking to ensure that victims,
especially those of violent rape, and their families are
financially compensated and supported following the often
life-shattering traumas that they have experienced?
click here to view the response
Education: Personal, Social, Health and Economic
Education, written answers, 31 January 2012
Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd, Labour) asked the Secretary of
State for Education what steps he is taking to encourage positive
relationship education, including awareness of domestic violence
and sexual exploitation.
click here to view the response
Attorney-General: Third Sector, written answers, 31
January 2012
Gareth Thomas (Harrow West, Labour) asked the
Attorney-General what contribution the Law Officers' Departments
are making to implementation of the Compact with the voluntary
sector; and if he will make a statement.
click here to view the response
Justice: Victim Support, Commons debate, Oral Answers to
Questions, 31 January 2012
Hazel Blears (Salford and Eccles, Labour) asked Will the
Secretary of State support amendments to the Bill in the other
place to ensure that victims like Clare can in future know about
the history of their violent partners and make an informed decision
on whether to continue in the relationship?
click here to view the response
Justice: Prostitution, written answers, 30 January
2012
John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington, Labour) asked the
Secretary of State for Justice
(1) how many people have been charged with (a) control for
gain of prostitution and (b) other offences related to trafficking
in the London area since Specialist Crime Division 9 in the
Metropolitan Police was created;
(2) how many prosecutions there have been for trafficking-related
offences in the London area since Specialist Crime Division 9 in
the Metropolitan Police was created.
click
here to view the response
Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill:
Committee (6th Day), Lords debate, 30 January 2012
Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench) stated A lot of the
conflict and the human rights abuses, which continue to this day in
places such as Goma and the Kivus, where rape is used daily as a
weapon of war
click here to view the debate
Communities and Local Government: Victims and Witnesses
Strategy, Commons debate, 30 January 2012
Sadiq Khan (Tooting, Labour) stated Over the past 20 months,
their policies on bail, sentencing, the chief coroner, domestic
violence and rape have shown them to be out of touch with victims
of crime in this country.
Sheila Gilmore (Edinburgh East, Labour) stated One of the
concerns in family law cases is that the victims of domestic
violence can, in subsequent proceedings-perhaps on issues of
custody or other things to do with children-be faced with a party
litigant against them.
click here to view the debate
Welfare Reform Bill: Report (4th Day), Lords debate, 17
January 2012
Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour) stated The consortium
is particularly concerned that, without a clear legal prohibition
on requiring a local residence connection, women who have
experienced domestic violence will be discouraged from moving
elsewhere to flee their violent partner, or will return to their
partner because they are unable to provide basic household items
such as a cooker to prepare cheap healthy food for themselves and
their children.
click here to view the debate
Home Department: Prostitution: Greater London, written
answers, 17 January 2012
Jim Cunningham (Coventry South, Labour) asked the Secretary
of State for the Home Department how many brothel closures there
have been as a result of intervention by police public protection
teams in each London borough in each month since January
2010.
click here to view the response
Sexual Offences (Amendment), Commons debate, 17 January
2012
John Mann (Bassetlaw, Labour) stated That leave be given to
bring in a Bill to amend the Sexual Offences Act 2003 to create an
offence of paying for sexual services of a person under the age of
21 years
click here to view the debate
Welfare Reform Bill: Report (3rd Day), Lords debate, 11
January 2012
Baroness Turner of Camden (Labour) stated There are many
instances, as we are aware, of women facing domestic violence,
which is rather horrifying. Much of it takes place within families,
sometimes within immigrant families, and the women have absolutely
nowhere to go.
click here to view the debate
Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs: Forced Marriage,
written answers, 10 January 2012
Andrew Stephenson (Pendle, Conservative) asked the Secretary
of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many forced
marriage cases have occurred in the UK in each of the last five
years.
click
here to view the response
Home Department: Human Trafficking: Sexual Offences,
written answers, 10 January 2012
John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington, Labour) asked the
Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have
been charged with (a) trafficking of women prostitute offences and
(b) controlling sex workers in the London area since 1 January
2010.
click
here to view the response
Home Department: Domestic Violence: Charitable Trusts,
written answers, 10 Jan 2012
David Ward (Bradford East, Liberal Democrat) asked the
Secretary of State for the Home Department what her Department's
policy is on encouraging local police forces to engage with
charitable organisations in order to co-ordinate action to tackle
domestic violence.
click
here to view the response
Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill -
Committee (2nd Day), Lords debate, 10 January 2012
Baroness Scotland of Asthal (Labour) stated My Lords, I make
it plain to the Minister and reassure him that no one is trying to
be unfair in relation to domestic violence. The noble Lord will
know that the impediments that have been put in the way of someone
getting legal aid for domestic violence are quite acute.
click
here to view the debate
December
Home Department: Rohypnol, written answers, 14 December
2011
David Wright (Telford, Labour) asked the Secretary of State
for the Home Department
(1) what steps she is taking to reduce the illegal use of
Rohypnol; and what awareness campaigns she proposes to run;
(2) what studies her Department has undertaken on the illegal use
of Rohypnol;
(3) whether she has recently reviewed the classification of the
drug Rohypnol;
(4) what assessment she has made of recent trends in the illegal
use of Rohypnol.
click here to view the response
Home Department: Domestic Violence, Written Ministerial
Statements, 14 December 2011
Theresa May (Home Secretary; Maidenhead, Conservative) stated
I am launching today a consultation on the cross-Government
definition of domestic violence. The consultation will run until 30
March 2012 and a consultation paper is available on the Home Office
website. A copy of the consultation document will also be placed in
the House Library.
click here to view the statement
Home Department: Domestic Violence, written answers, 14
December 2011
Hazel Blears (Salford and Eccles, Labour) asked the
Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has for
the classification and recording of convictions for offences
against a partner as domestic violence offences.
click here to view the response
Justice: Vulnerable People, oral answers to questions,
13 December 2011
Virendra Sharma (Ealing, Southall, Labour) asked What steps
his Department is taking to ensure access to justice for vulnerable
people.
click here to view the response
Northern Ireland Assembly debate 12 December
2011
Jennifer McCann (Sinn Féin) stated There are none more
vulnerable in our society than children or young people, and we
need to do all that we can to protect them. Some of the real-life
stories in those reports are really vile and horrendous. We have
heard about children as young as 12 or 13 who have been groomed and
then raped or sexually abused repeatedly and systematically by the
perpetrators and, sometimes, they have been given drink and drugs
to do it.
click here to view the debate
November
Defence: Domestic Violence, written answers, 25 November
2011
Gavin Shuker (Luton South, Labour) asked the Secretary of
State for Defence how many domestic violence awareness courses were
held on army premises in England and Wales in the latest period for
which figures are available.
click here to view the response
Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill -
Second Reading, Lords debate, 21 November
2011
Lord McNally (Minister of State, Justice; Liberal Democrat)
stated I also take on board the very strong concerns that were
voiced about domestic violence. I believe that we have tried not
just with these measures but with other government measures to try
to give support and help in this area.
click here to view the debate
Home Department: Sexual Offences: Victim Support
Schemes, written answers, 21 November
2011
Kate Green (Stretford and Urmston, Labour) asked the
Secretary of State for Justice what the total value was of grants
awarded by his Department through the Victims Fund to local sexual
assault services in financial year (a) 2010-11 and (b)
2011-12.
click here to view the response
Home Department: Sexual Offences: Victim Support
Schemes, written answers, 21 November
2011
Kate Green (Stretford and Urmston, Labour) asked the
Secretary of State for the Home Department
(1) how much her Department contributed to sexual assault
referral centre funding in financial year (a) 2010-11 and (b)
2011-12;
(2) what funding her Department made available for
Independent Sexual Violence Advisers in financial year (a) 2010-11
and (b) 2011-12;
(3) what resources her Department made available for the
funding of the (a) Rape Crisis and (b) Survivors Trust national
head office in financial year (i) 2010-11 and (ii)
2011-12.
click here to view the response
Education: Domestic Violence, written answers, 3
November 2011
Fiona Mactaggart (Slough, Labour) asked the Secretary of
State for Education what definition of domestic violence his
Department uses; and whether there are any qualifications of that
definition in respect of particular services and processes for
which his Department is responsible.
click here to view the response
House of Lords: Gendercide, written answers, 3
November 2011
Lord Patten (Conservative) asked Her Majesty's Government
whether the United Kingdom representative to the United Nations has
raised the issue of gendercide in 2011 to date.
click here to view the response
Female Genital Mutilation, Commons debate, 3
November 2011
Jane Ellison (Battersea, Conservative) stated As part of the
Mayor of London's strategy to tackle all forms of violence against
girls and women, the Greater London authority will shortly publish
a policy document on addressing harmful practices in
London.
click here to view the debate
Home Department: Prostitution: Olympic Games 2012,
written answers, 3 November 2011
Shabana Mahmood (Birmingham, Ladywood, Labour) asked the
Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has
had with (a) the Metropolitan Police, (b) the London Organising
Committee of the Olympic Games, (c) local authorities and (d)
women's groups on the prevention of street-based prostitution (i)
in advance of and (ii) during the London 2012 Olympics.
click here to view the response
Home Department: Domestic Violence, written answers, 3
November 2011
Fiona Mactaggart (Slough, Labour) asked the Secretary of
State for the Home Department what definition of domestic violence
her Department uses; and whether there are any qualifications of
that definition in respect of particular services and processes for
which her Department is responsible.
click here to view the response
Treasury: Gangs and Youth Violence, Oral answers to
questions ,1 November 2011
Theresa May (Home Secretary; Maidenhead, Conservative) stated
We are providing £18 million to identify and support domestic
violence victims and their children, who are at particular risk of
turning to violence in adulthood.
click here to view the response
Business, Innovation and Skills: Domestic Violence,
written answers, 1 November 2011
Fiona Mactaggart (Slough, Labour) asked the Secretary of
State for Business, Innovation and Skills what definition of
domestic violence his Department uses; and what steps he has taken
to support companies in protecting their workforce from domestic
violence.
click here to view the response
Justice: Legal Aid Scheme: Domestic Violence, written
answers, 1 November 2011
Chris Evans (Islwyn, Labour) asked the Secretary of State
for Justice what recent representations he has received from
domestic violence groups on proposed reductions in the legal aid
budget.
click here to view the response
Justice: Domestic Violence, written answers, 1
November 2011
Fiona Mactaggart (Slough, Labour) asked the Secretary of State
for Justice how many women in prison are assessed as having been
victims of domestic violence.
click here to view the response
October
Schedule 1 - Civil Legal Services, Legal Aid, Sentencing
and Punishment of Offenders Bill, Commons debate, 31
October 2011
Andy Slaughter (Hammersmith, Labour) stated Earlier this
afternoon, the Housing Minister launched a very good report by St
Mungo's entitled "Battered, broken, bereft", one of the leading
findings of which was that 35% of women who have slept rough left
home to escape domestic violence. It shows double standards and
hypocrisy for the Government to cut back on provisions to tackle
domestic violence on the same day in the Commons Chamber.
click
here to view the debate
Home Department: Domestic Violence: Immigrants, written
answers, 11 October 2011
Shabana Mahmood (Birmingham, Ladywood, Labour) asked the
Secretary of State for the Home Department what support is
available to the victims of domestic violence who have no recourse
to public funds.
click here to view the response
Home Department: Third Sector, written answers, 11
October 2011
Stephen McCabe (Birmingham, Selly Oak, Labour) asked the
Secretary of State for the Home Department what the name is of each
charity and voluntary organisation visited by Ministers in her
Department since 12 May 2010.
click here to view the response
Asylum Seekers - Question, Lords debate, 11
October 2011
Lord Avebury (Liberal Democrat) asked Does the noble Lord
accept that at the asylum stakeholders' meeting on 4 August the
UKBA said that it had not released any victim of gender-based
violence from the detained fast-track and did not consider it a
reason for releasing a person?
click here to view the debate
Home Department: Domestic Violence, written answers, 10
October 2011
Emma Reynolds (Wolverhampton North East, Labour) asked the
Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer
of 13 June 2011, Official Report, column 653W, on domestic
violence, when she expects to take a final decision on signature
and ratification of the Council of Europe convention on preventing
violence against women and domestic violence.
click
here to view the response
September
Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs: Female Genital
Mutilation, written answers, 9 September
2011
Denis MacShane (Rotherham, Labour) asked the Secretary of
State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he
has received on the prevalence of female genital mutilation in
Gambia; and if he will make a statement.
click here to view the response
Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders bill:
Clause 9 - Exceptional cases, Public Bill Committee, 8
September 2011
Kate Green (Stretford and Urmston, Labour) stated It is
important that the Government have already recognised the need for
some extension into scope of immigration cases where domestic
violence is involved-that is welcome. We should look carefully at
the position of children in the immigration system, particularly
unaccompanied children, who are a very vulnerable group.
Alex Cunningham (Stockton North, Labour) stated one parent
was from one nation and one from the other. The father disappeared,
but they found themselves on opposite sides of the conflict. The
issues in that conflict are very well documented, with rape,
killing and maiming on both sides being very much in
evidence.
click here to view the debate
House of Lords: People Trafficking, written answers, 8
September 2011
Lord Hylton (Crossbench) asked Her Majesty's Government what
plans they have to prevent increased prostitution before and after
the 2012 Olympic Games, including greater human trafficking for
sexual exploitation.
click here to view the response
House of Lords: Female Genital Mutilation, written
answers, 8 September 2011
Baroness Tonge (Liberal Democrat) asked Her Majesty's
Government whether they have plans to prepare a strategy on female
genital mutilation; and, if so, what arrangements they will put in
place to fund such a strategy and to co-ordinate it across
government.
click here to view the response
Home Department: Immigration: Females, written answers,
7 September 2011
Bridget Phillipson (Houghton and Sunderland South, Labour) asked
the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the
confirmed number of women granted indefinite leave to remain in the
UK under the domestic violence rule in 2009; and what the
equivalent provisional number is for 2010.
click here to view the response
Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) Regulations 2011:
Motion to Approve, Lords debates, 6 September
2011
Baroness Verma (Whip, House of Lords; Conservative) stated
First, public bodies must include information relating to
people who share a relevant protected characteristic who are
affected by their policies and practices-their service users. For
example, we would expect a local authority to have considered how
its provision of social housing affects women who have been victims
of domestic violence.
click here to view the debate
Justice: Domestic Violence: Immigrants, written answers,
6 September 2011
Bridget Phillipson (Houghton and Sunderland South, Labour) asked
the Secretary of State for Justice what legal aid costs were
incurred in respect of women granted indefinite leave to remain
under the domestic violence rule in 2009.
click here to view the response
Education: Forced Marriage, Lords debates, 5
September 2011
Tim Loughton (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Education;
East Worthing and Shoreham, Conservative) stated The Government
provide considerable support to safeguard children from the risk of
forced marriage, which is a serious form of child abuse. The joint
Home Office/Foreign and Commonwealth Office Forced Marriage Unit
(FMU), which was launched in January 2005, provides advice to
teachers in schools.
click here to view the debate
Home Department: Police: Training, written answers, 5
September 2011
Helen Goodman (Bishop Auckland, Labour) asked the Secretary
of State for the Home Department
(1) what training police officers in England and Wales receive in
the use of the Domestic Abuse, Stalking and Harassment and
Honour-based violence risk model;
(2) whether any police force uses an alternative risk assessment
model in place of the Domestic Abuse, Stalking and Harassment and
Honour-based violence risk model;
(3) whether she plans to review the operation of the Domestic
Abuse, Stalking and Harassment and Honour-based violence risk model
in areas where it has been appropriately implemented;
(4) what assessment she has made of the effects of implementation
of the Domestic Abuse, Stalking and Harassment and Honour-based
violence risk model (DASH) on levels of victimisation in those
areas where DASH has been fully implemented.
click here to view the response
Education: Personal, Social, Health and Economic
Education, written answers, 5 September
2011
Caroline Lucas (Brighton, Pavilion, Green) asked the
Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department is
taking to provide education for young people who are not in formal
education on violence against women and girls, including (a)
relationship abuse, (b) rape, (c) forced marriage, (d) sexual
harassment and (e) female genital mutilation.
click here to view the response
Women and Equalities: Third Sector, written answers, 5
September 2011
Stephen McCabe (Birmingham, Selly Oak, Labour) asked the
Minister for Women and Equalities what the name is of each charity
and voluntary organisation visited by Ministers in the Government
Equalities Office since 12 May 2010.
click here to view the response
July
House of Lords: Police: Training, written answers, 20
July 2011
Baroness Howe of Idlicote (Crossbench) asked Her Majesty's
Government what procedures police forces in England and Wales use
in assessing risk in domestic abuse, stalking and harassment and
honour based violence cases.
click here to view the response
Business without Debate: Public Confidence in the Media
and Police, Commons debate, 20 July
2011
Helen Goodman (Bishop Auckland, Labour) stated In another
case, a woman I met who was a victim of domestic violence was also
denigrated-in The Sun in this instance-because her neighbours had
been blagged.
click here to view the debate
House of Lords: Female Genital Mutilation, written
answers, 20 July 2011
Baroness Tonge (Liberal Democrat) asked Her Majesty's
Government what plans they have to prosecute those who perform
female genital mutilation in the United Kingdom.
click here to view the response
International Development: Developing Countries:
Marriage, written answers, 18 July
2011
Alex Cunningham (Stockton North, Labour) asked the Secretary
of State for International Development what steps his Department
plans to take to meet its objective of (a) working towards changing
social norms that constrain women's choice and control over
resources and (b) helping young women resist early and forced
marriage in developing countries.
click here to view the response
Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs: Developing Countries:
Marriage, written answers, 18 July
2011
Alex Cunningham (Stockton North, Labour) asked the Secretary
of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps British
embassies and high commissions are taking to encourage developing
countries to reduce rates of early and forced marriage.
click here to view the response
Justice: Legal Aid Scheme: Domestic Violence, written
answers, 18 July 2011
Rachel Reeves (Leeds West, Labour) asked the Secretary of
State for Justice how many claimants have received legal aid in
relation to domestic violence cases in each of the last five years;
and what the cost to the public purse was of legal aid in relation
to domestic violence cases in each of the last five years.
click here to view the response
Justice: Offences Against Children, written answers, 18
July 2011
Robert Buckland (South Swindon, Conservative) asked the
Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 23 June
2011, Official Report, column 62-4W on child sexual exploitation,
what offences relating to child sexual exploitation were included
in the data provided.
click here to view the response
Education: Sexual Offences: Education, written answers,
7 July 2011
Nicola Blackwood (Oxford West and Abingdon, Conservative) asked
the Secretary of State for Education what representations he
has received on including domestic and sexual violence and abuse
issues in the curriculum.
click here to view the response
Business of the House (Police (Detention and Bail)
Bill): Police (Detention and Bail) Bill, Commons debate, 7
July 2011
Nicola Blackwood (Oxford West and Abingdon, Conservative) stated
That has deeply worrying public protection implications for
victims and witnesses of violent crimes, and particularly for
victims of domestic abuse. Suspects who have been arrested for
domestic violence-related offences and released on bail are likely
to have conditions attached to that bail, designed to protect their
victim.
click here to view the debate
Education: Sexual Offences: Education, written answers,
7 July 2011
Nicola Blackwood (Oxford West and Abingdon, Conservative) asked
the Secretary of State for Education what representations he
has received on including domestic and sexual violence and abuse
issues in the curriculum.
click here to view the response
House of Lords: Courts Service: Victim and Witness
Support, written answers, 6 July 2011
Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Labour) asked Her Majesty's
Government why they have ended the Witness and Victim Experience
Survey.
click here to view the response
Home Department: Domestic Violence, written answers, 6
July 2011
Nicola Blackwood (Oxford West and Abingdon, Conservative) asked
the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police
forces provide portable alarms to domestic abuse victims; and what
the cost of such provision was in the last 12 months.
click here to view the response
House of Lords: Sexual Assault Referral Centres, written
answers, 6 July 2011
Baroness Gould of Potternewton (Labour) asked Her Majesty's
Government what are the funding arrangements for the sexual assault
referral centres in England; and how the centres are monitored to
ensure that they are providing the best possible service for those
who have been raped or sexually assaulted.
click here to view the response
June
Justice: Probation: Harassment, written answers, 28
June 2011
Linda Riordan (Halifax, Labour) asked the Secretary of State
for Justice what training probation officers receive on supervising
persons convicted under the Protection from Harassment Act
1997.
click here to view the response
Justice: Legal Aid, written answers, 28 June
2011
Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore, Labour) asked the Secretary of
State for Justice what his policy is on the provision of legal aid
for the settlement of domestic disputes.
click here to view the response
Bail (Amendment), House of Commons debate, 28
June 2011
Andrew Stephenson (Pendle, Conservative) stated Jane had
displayed great bravery in going to the authorities to report the
abuse that Jonathan Vass was subjecting her to while she was
pregnant with their child. Like many victims of domestic violence,
she put her faith in our legal system, but our legal system failed
to protect her.
click here to view the debate
Justice: Legal Aid (Domestic Violence), Commons debates,
oral answers to questions, 28 June
2011
Caroline Nokes (Romsey and Southampton North, Conservative)
asked What consideration he has given to those responses to his
Department's consultation on legal aid that raised concerns about
his Department's definition of domestic violence.
Alun Cairns (Vale of Glamorgan, Conservative) asked What his
policy is on the provision of legal aid support for victims of
domestic violence.
click here to view the debate
Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs: British Nationality,
written answers, 28 June 2011
Chi Onwurah (Newcastle upon Tyne Central, Labour) asked the
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what
support and assistance his Department provides for UK nationals
with dual citizenship when in the country of their other
citizenship; and if he will make a statement.
click here to view the response
Women and Equalities: Rape Prosecutions, Commons debate,
23 June 2011
Lynne Featherstone (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State,
Equalities Office; Hornsey and Wood Green, Liberal Democrat) stated
Rape prosecution is regularly discussed at ministerial level
through the inter-ministerial group on violence against women. It
is completely unacceptable that so many women and men are victims
of this abhorrent crime.
click here to view the debate
Honour-related Violence, House of Lords, written
answers, 21 June 2011
Lord Lester of Herne Hill (Liberal Democrat) asked Her
Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness
Browning on 14 June (WA 178), what is the reason for limiting the
funding of the Honour Based Couples Violence Service to one year
and whether this is compatible with the Violence against Women and
Girls Strategy launched in November 2010.
click here to view the response
Young Runaways (sexual exploitation), Westminster Hall
debates, 21 June 2011
Tim Loughton (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Education;
East Worthing and Shoreham, Conservative) stated We also know
that young runaways are often affected by other problems, and
surveys have suggested that about one third of them have reported
problems with substance misuse or involvement in crime, and we have
heard about other difficulties, including mental health issues and
domestic violence.
click here to view the debate
Honour-related Violence, House of Lords, written
answers, 14 June 2011
Lord Lester of Herne Hill (Liberal Democrat) asked Her
Majesty's Government whether public funding will continue to be
provided for the Honour Based Violence Couples Service.
click here to view the response
Health: Abortion, written answers, 14 June
2011
David Amess (Southend West, Conservative) asked the
Secretary of State for Health how many abortions were performed in
each of the last five years; and how many and what proportion of
such procedures were performed (a) to save the life of the mother
and (b) in cases of rape.
click here to view the response
Home Department: Harassment, written answers, 14
June 2011
David Evennett (Bexleyheath and Crayford, Conservative) asked
the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she
has made of the effectiveness of notice of harassment letters
issued by police forces.
click here to view the respone
Home Department: Immigrants: Offenders, written answers,
14 June 2011
Madeleine Moon (Bridgend, Labour) asked the Secretary of
State for the Home Department how many people were granted
indefinite leave to remain under the terms of paragraph 289A of the
Immigration Rules in each year since 2005; and how many such people
were identified as having a criminal record at the time indefinite
leave to remain was granted in each such year.
click here to view the response
Home Department: Victim Support Schemes, written
answers, 14 June 2011
Caroline Flint (Don Valley, Labour) asked the Secretary of State
for the Home Department whether her Department provides any funds
for schemes to support victims and witnesses of crime which exclude
victims of domestic violence.
click here to view the response
House of Lords: Honour-related Violence, written
answers, 14 June 2011
Lord Lester of Herne Hill (Liberal Democrat) asked Her
Majesty's Government whether public funding will continue to be
provided for the Honour Based Violence Couples Service.
click here to view the response
Attorney-General: Prostitution: Arrests, written
answers, 13 June 2011
Catherine McKinnell (Newcastle upon Tyne North, Labour) asked
the Attorney-General how many people have been (a) arrested,
(b) prosecuted and (c) convicted under the Policing and Crime Act
2009 for paying for sex with a prostitute who has been subjected to
force in each year since its enactment.
click here to view the response
Home Department: Domestic Violence: Victim Support
Schemes, written answers, 13 June
2011
Caroline Flint (Don Valley, Labour) asked the Secretary of
State for the Home Department what funding her Department provided
to support victims of domestic violence in the latest period for
which figures are available.
click here to view the response
Home Department: Domestic Violence, written answers, 13
June 2011
Emma Reynolds (Wolverhampton North East, Labour) asked the
Secretary of State for the Home Department what the Government's
policy is on signing the Council of Europe convention on preventing
and combating violence against women and domestic
violence.
click here to view the response
Home Department: Domestic Violence: Victim Support
Schemes, written answers, 13 June
2011
Caroline Flint (Don Valley, Labour) asked the Secretary of
State for the Home Department what funding her Department provided
to support victims of domestic violence in the latest period for
which figures are available.
click here to view the response
Home Department: Independent Domestic Violence Advocate:
Expenditure, written answers, 13 June
2011
Caroline Flint (Don Valley, Labour) asked the Secretary of State
for the Home Department what funding her Department provided
for independent domestic violence advocates in the latest period
for which figures are available.
click here to view the response
Welfare Reform Bill (Programme) (No. 2): New Clause 2 -
Childcare, Commons debate, 13 June
2011
Timms (East Ham, Labour) stated This sometimes means that
women themselves go without eating in order to pay the bills or put
a meal on the table for their children. This lack of access to
income in their own right leaves women open to the risk of
financial abuse and can also reduce their chances of escaping
domestic violence.
click here to view the debate
Justice: Victim Support Schemes: Voluntary
Organisations, written answers, 13 June
2011
Caroline Flint (Don Valley, Labour) asked the Secretary of
State for Justice what funding his Department provided for
voluntary sector groups supporting victims and witnesses of crime
in the latest period for which figures are available.
click here to view the response
Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill - Committee
(5th Day), 9 June 2011
Baroness Walmsley (Liberal Democrat) stated Including this
short paragraph in the Bill would give those children a voice.
Domestic abuse, rape, child abuse investigation, honour-based
violence, the monitoring of travelling sex offenders, female
genital mutilation and forced marriages are all areas of policing
that are unlikely to be identified as local policing priorities by
the general population who will be voting for the
commissioner
click here to view the debate
Opposition Day - [17th Allotted Day - First Part]: Women
(Government Policies, Commons debate, 8 June
2011
Yvette Cooper (Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford, Labour)
stated The right hon. Lady has followed the previous
Government's example of announcing a cross-Government strategy to
tackle violence against women, which we welcome. We also welcome
her support for rape crisis centres, but she does not seem to be
reflecting what is actually happening on the ground
click here to view the debate
Home Department: Departmental Research, written answers,
7 June 2011
David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds, Conservative) asked the
Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what
proportion of reports produced by her Department's Research,
Development and Statistics Directorate in each year since 2008 have
been published; and what the title is of each unpublished
report.
click here to view the response
Justice: Homicide: Convictions, written answers, 8
June 2011
Andy Slaughter (Hammersmith, Labour) asked the Secretary of
State for Justice how many convictions for offences of (a) murder,
(b) rape and (c) unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor there
have been in each year since 1997; and what proportion of such
convictions followed a guilty plea at the first instance in each
such year.
click here to view the response
May
House of Lords: Forced Marriage, written answers, 25
May 2011
Lord Lester of Herne Hill (Liberal Democrat) asked Her
Majesty's Government whether they will conduct a further review of
the operation of the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007 by
the end of this calendar year, and publish the
results.
click here to view the response
Welfare Reform Bill: Clause 128 - Supporting maintenance
agreements, Public Bill committee, 24 May
2011
Maria Miller (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Disabled
People), Work and Pensions; Basingstoke, Conservative) stated
On amendment 275, I am again grateful to be able to reiterate
our full commitment to offering an exemption from the proposed
application charges for victims of domestic violence.
click here to view the debate
Welfare Reform Bill: Clause 129 - Collection of child
support maintenance, Public Bill committee, 24 May
2011
Maria Miller (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Disabled
People), Work and Pensions; Basingstoke, Conservative) stated
The right hon. Gentleman also raised the important issue of
those who may have been subject to domestic abuse, and whether
requiring them to co-operate with a maintenance direct arrangement
might in some way be inappropriate.
click here to view the debate
Education: Citizenship Teaching, Commons debates, Oral
answers to questions, 23 May 2011
Fiona Mactaggart (Slough, Labour) asked The Minister will be
aware of his own Government's violence against women and girls
strategy and the excellent report from the Select Committee on Home
Affairs, both of which have highlighted the importance of education
in schools in preventing violence against women and girls. What
steps is he taking to make sure that that plan is delivered in our
schools?
click here to view the response
Opposition Day - [16th Allotted Day]: Sentencing,
Commons debates, 23 May 2011
Helen Grant (Maidstone and The Weald, Conservative) stated Women
in prison are a highly vulnerable group, and they commit crime
because of this vulnerability and because of earlier failures to
protect and support. More than half have suffered domestic
violence, and a third have suffered sexual assault. Up to 80% have
mental health problems. Many of them self-harm, and many have
attempted suicide. More than half have alcohol problems, and 27%
have drug problems.
click here to view the debate
Opposition Day - [16th Allotted Day]: Policing and
Crime, Commons debates, 23 May 2011
Vernon Coaker (Gedling, Labour) stated A point that has not
yet hit home is that supported housing, domestic and sexual
violence services and youth services-the community services that
people depend upon-are all being cut. When specialist housing
support, sexual violence officers and the specialist domestic
violence services provided by local authorities or voluntary
organisations are no longer in place, people will instead dial 999
and ask for a police officer, who by their nature will try to
attend.
click here to view the debate
Home Department: Domestic Violence, written answers, 23
May 2011
Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North, Labour) asked the
Secretary of State for the Home Department what domestic violence
refuges her Department funded in each region in 2010-11; and what
the (a) level and (b) source of funding was in each case.
click here to view the response
Home Department: Domestic Violence, written answers, 23
May 2011
Julie Elliott (Sunderland Central, Labour) asked the Secretary
of State for the Home Department what research her Department has
undertaken on the incidence of offences of domestic violence in
police authority areas where domestic violence units (a) are and
(b) are not in place.
click here to view the response
Home Department: Domestic Violence, written answers, 23
May 2011
Fiona Mactaggart (Slough, Labour) asked the Secretary of
State for the Home Department whether any independent domestic
violence adviser posts funded by her Department are based in police
forces.
click here to view the response
Welfare Reform Bill: Clause 128, Public Bill committee,
19 May 2011
Sheila Gilmore (Edinburgh East, Labour) stated We have to be
very clear that it is not just in cases of domestic violence, which
it has been suggested should be excluded, that such problems arise.
There are many situations that would not necessarily add up to
domestic violence, but where there is a serious imbalance between
the parties in their financial capacity and their power in the
relationship.
click here to view the debate
Domestic Violence: Advisory Services, Home Department,
written answers, 17 May 2011
Bridget Phillipson (Houghton and Sunderland South, Labour) asked
the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding
her Department has allocated in respect of independent domestic
violence advisers in (a) each financial year for which such funding
has been available and (b) financial year 2011-12 to date.
click here to view the response
Legal Aid, Westminster Hall debate, 11 May
2011
Jonathan Djanogly (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (HM
Courts Service and Legal Aid), Justice; Huntingdon, Conservative)
stated The proposals in the consultation paper aimed to take
into account the importance of the issues at stake, litigants'
ability to present their own case, the availability of alternative
sources of funding and routes to resolution and our domestic and
international legal obligations.
click here to view the debate
Justice: Legal Aid: Domestic Violence, written answers,
11 May 2011
John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington, Labour) asked the
Secretary of State for Justice what his policy is on the
availability of legal aid for victims of domestic violence who do
not seek an initial non-molestation order but are subsequently
required to appear in court in respect of residence and related
matters.
click here to view the response
Justice: Mediation, written answers, 11 May
2011
Aidan Burley (Cannock Chase, Conservative) asked To ask the
Secretary of State for Justice what steps he has taken to (a)
support and (b) promote the use of mediation services for
disputes.
click here to view the response
Home Department: Prostitution: Advertising, written
answers, 5 May 2011
Jack Straw (Blackburn, Labour) asked the Secretary of State
for the Home Department what proposals she plans to bring forward
to prevent the advertisement of sexual services in the
media.
click here to view the response
House of Lords: Violence Against Women and Children,
written answers, 5 May 2011
Lord Lester of Herne Hill (Liberal Democrat) asked Her
Majesty's Government why they have excluded human trafficking and
prostitution from the definition of violence against women and
girls used in the Violence Against Women and Girls
Strategy.
click here to view the response
Home Department: Domestic Violence, written answers, 5
May 2011
Emma Reynolds (Wolverhampton North East, Labour) asked the
Secretary of State for the Home Department what amendments she
plans to propose to the draft Convention on Preventing and
Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence in the
Council of Europe Committee of Ministers.
click here to view the response
House of Lords: Violence Against Women and Children,
written answers, 5 May 2011
Lord Lester of Herne Hill (Liberal Democrat) asked Her
Majesty's Government why they have excluded human trafficking and
prostitution from the definition of violence against women and
girls used in the Violence Against Women and Girls
Strategy.
click here to view the response
Home Department: Convictions, written answers, 3
May 2011
Caroline Lucas (Brighton, Pavilion, Green) asked the
Secretary of State for the Home Department whether a person with an
unspent conviction who is thereby prohibited from making an
application for funds under the domestic violence rule is eligible
for support from (a) the Sojourner Project and (b) any other
funding from the public purse; and if she will make a
statement.
click here to view the response
Home Department: Domestic Violence, written answers, 3
May 2011
Caroline Lucas (Brighton, Pavilion, Green) asked the
Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the
Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules, HC 908, whether the
prohibition on making an application under the domestic violence
rule unless one has no unspent convictions applies to a person who
has received (a) an absolute discharge and (b) a caution with
conditions until such time as the conditions end; and if she will
make a statement.
click here to view the response
