Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Domestic Abuse

Monday 20 June 2022 · 4 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Government is committed to tackling domestic abuse through initiatives like the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and a 230 million funding plan.
  • Prevention through statutory Relationships, Sex and Health Education is part of the government's strategy to teach children about healthy relationships.
  • Funding for perpetrator interventions is over 75 million over three years to prevent harmful behavior at its source.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Jerome Mayhew Con Broadland and Fakenham
Crime & Law Enforcement Justice & Courts
Context

The question arises from ongoing efforts to address the issue of domestic abuse, with recent reports indicating that calls related to such cases make up 24% of all calls received by Norfolk police.

Question

What progress has been made on tackling domestic abuse? Reports indicate that 24% of calls to Norfolk police are related to domestic abuse. Is the criminal justice system sufficient for handling these cases, or is there a need for alternative approaches to free up police time?

Answer from Rachel Maclean

The government is committed to tackling domestic abuse through various initiatives, including the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. The tackling domestic abuse plan was published in March with £230 million funding for interventions and support, including £75 million aimed at preventing perpetrators' harmful behavior. Perpetrator intervention programmes are crucial, but responses extend beyond criminal justice to include preventative measures and multi-year funding for interventions.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The questioner asked if the criminal justice system is sufficient for handling domestic abuse cases, which was not directly addressed. Instead, the answer focused on prevention and perpetrator intervention programmes without specifying their sufficiency or adequacy in addressing all cases.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q2 Aaron Bell
Crime & Law Enforcement Education
Context

The question addresses the importance of preventive measures and highlights the need for educating children about healthy relationships to prevent future occurrences of domestic abuse.

Question

Welcoming the tackling domestic abuse plan, the MP emphasizes the necessity of prevention and specifically mentions the importance of teaching school-aged children about healthy relationships. Can the Minister confirm if this is part of the government's plans?

Answer from Rachel Maclean

Prevention is indeed a key pillar of our strategy, and we have implemented specific programmes to prevent domestic abuse. We support early intervention through statutory Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) which teaches children about respectful relationships from an early age.

Answered

Not addressed: null

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q3 Jerome Mayhew Con Broadland and Fakenham
Policing & Resources Justice & Courts Women & Equalities
Context

The question follows up on the earlier inquiry regarding domestic abuse reports accounting for a significant portion of police call volume in Norfolk, prompting concerns about whether the criminal justice system is the optimal route for all cases.

Question

Considering that 24% of calls to Norfolk police are related to domestic abuse, does the Minister believe the criminal justice system is suitable for addressing all these incidents? If not, can she outline alternative measures to free up police resources?

Answer from Rachel Maclean

While tackling perpetrators is crucial, our approach goes beyond just the criminal justice system. We fund perpetrator interventions designed to prevent harmful behavior at its source. Over three years, we are investing more than £75 million into these efforts.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The questioner asked about alternative measures for handling domestic abuse cases beyond the criminal justice system, which was not directly addressed in full detail.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q4 Jess Phillips Lab Birmingham Yardley
Justice & Courts
Context

The question highlights the issue of delayed justice for victims of intimate partner domestic homicides, with at least 105 women having been killed since July 2021 when a review on sentencing fairness was announced.

Question

In July 2021, the Government promised to conduct a domestic homicide sentencing review. Since then, at least 105 women have lost their lives to intimate partner violence. Can the Minister explain why this review is six months late and provide an update on its status?

Answer from Rachel Maclean

We have outlined our holistic response to domestic abuse in the plan. While we are reforming the system through the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, work is ongoing across multiple Departments, and funding is substantial. I will write to the hon. Member with more specifics on this matter.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The questioner asked specifically about the delay in the domestic homicide sentencing review and requested an update, which was not fully addressed.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email