Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Violence against Women and Girls

Monday 13 January 2025 · 3 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Government will work at pace with stakeholders to implement the recommendations from the Jay inquiry.
  • Victims in rural areas of North Yorkshire are subject to domestic abuse for 25% longer than those in urban areas.
  • The FCDO colleagues sit on the violence against women and girls sub-group and take seriously the issues faced by Palestinian women detained in Israeli prisons.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Danny Chambers Lib Dem Winchester
Crime & Law Enforcement Women & Equalities
Context

Following the public outcry over cases of child grooming by older men, the Jay inquiry made 20 recommendations to protect victims.

Question

The entire country was appalled by the terrible crime of girls being groomed by gangs of older men. It is about 10 years since these crimes first came to light and since the Jay inquiry made 20 recommendations. Will the Government commit to implementing all those recommendations, in full and at pace, to help protect future victims?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Jess Phillips)

I thank the hon. Gentleman for both the tone and the sentiment of his question, and I hope that everyone in the House agrees with him. It is, in fact, 15 years since the original Jay report on the events in Rotherham. We will work at pace with the stakeholders, including the victims and Professor Alexis Jay, to ensure that what was intended in those recommendations can happen. I will do that as quickly as it can possibly be done.

Partly answered

How: Working At Pace

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Q2 Alison Hume Lab Scarborough and Whitby
Crime & Law Enforcement Women & Equalities
Context

In North Yorkshire, victims of domestic abuse in rural areas face particular barriers such as longer duration of abuse before reporting it.

Question

North Yorkshire is the largest rural county in the country. Behind the beauty of the villages and hamlets in my constituency of Scarborough and Whitby lies an ugly truth: on average, victims in rural areas are subject to domestic abuse for 25% longer than those in urban areas and are half as likely to report it. Can the Minister reassure the House that more funding to tackle rural domestic violence is part of the Government’s strategy to halve violence against women and girls?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Jess Phillips)

The strategy to halve violence against women and girls is for every single part of our country. The Government recognise that victims in rural and remote areas face particular barriers in fleeing abuse and accessing support. We are already driving forward a range of activities that will support rural victims. The Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 will require local commissioners to develop joint needs assessments for victims of domestic abuse, to identify gaps in support.

Partly answered

How: Range Of Activities

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Q3 Steve Witherden Lab Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr
Foreign Affairs Women & Equalities
Context

UN reports document sexual assault, beatings, and threats of rape and death against Palestinian women detained in Israeli prisons.

Question

Palestinian women detained in Israeli prisons face sexual assault, beatings and threats of rape and death, according to United Nations reports. Given our commitment to tackling violence against women and girls, what discussions is the Minister having with Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office colleagues about the implications of the gender-based violence faced by Palestinians?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Jess Phillips)

I thank my hon. Friend for his question. My FCDO colleagues sit on the violence against women and girls sub-group for the mission, and I have every faith that they take the issues that he talks about incredibly seriously.

Partly answered

How: Fcdo Colleagues Take Issues Seriously

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