Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Crime Prevention

Wednesday 29 January 2025 · 4 questions

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

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 1

Key points

  • Ministerial plan aims to halve violence against women and girls within a decade.
  • Discussions on a consistent approach to tackling rural crime across the UK are part of the manifesto commitment.
  • The current government is focused on implementing the Jay review recommendations to support victims of child sexual exploitation.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Context

Domestic abuse victims and survivors in Monmouthshire expressed concerns about their voices not being heard by the police, emphasizing the need for better training on early intervention to prevent violence.

Question

In Monmouthshire, domestic abuse victims and survivors tell me that their voices still are not heard by the police. They stress the need for those on the ground to be better trained in early intervention, which can prevent escalation and reduce violent behaviour and domestic abuse overall. What steps can be taken with colleagues across Government, and Welsh Government colleagues, to better embed domestic abuse prevention?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Wales (Jo Stevens)

My hon. Friend will know that the Prime Minister’s plan for change reinforced our manifesto ambition to halve violence against women and girls in a decade. We will do everything in our power to achieve that. We will put specialist rape and sexual offences teams in every police force in Wales, and early this year we will start the process of introducing domestic abuse experts into 999 control rooms, so that victims can talk directly to a specialist for the advice and support that they need and deserve.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific training steps for Monmouthshire were not addressed

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Q2 Robin Swann Ulster Unionist Party South Antrim
Context

Rural crime is a significant issue across the United Kingdom, affecting various regions including Wales.

Question

Rural crime is a scourge across the entirety of the United Kingdom. What discussions has the Secretary of State had with her Cabinet colleagues on ensuring a consistent approach to tackling rural crime across the UK?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Wales (Jo Stevens)

We were elected on a manifesto that included a mission for safer streets across every nation of the United Kingdom. We will put police back on the beat, ensure there is a named officer for every neighbourhood, and provide 13,000 additional officers, police community support officers and special constables in neighbourhood roles in England and Wales. The provisional police funding settlement has been increased this year by up to £1 billion.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific approach for rural crime not detailed

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Q3 Mims Davies Con East Grinstead and Uckfield
Context

An ITV Wales investigation revealed 28 prevention of future death reports over a 16-month period relating to the north Wales Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, raising concerns about systemic issues.

Question

An ITV Wales investigation last year discovered 28 prevention of future death reports over a 16-month period relating to the north Wales Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Welsh Secretary’s predecessor called for an inquiry into these tragedies. Meanwhile, answers are rightly being sought, as there is clear evidence of grooming gangs sexually exploiting young children in Wales. Will the Secretary of State commit to building on her predecessor’s actions, and push the Welsh Government to use the Inquiries Act 2005 to launch two vital Wales-wide inquiries, to give victims and their loved ones justice?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Wales (Jo Stevens)

The hon. Lady will be aware that, unlike the previous Government, we are determined to give the victims of child sexual exploitation the long-overdue justice that they deserve by enacting the recommendations of the Jay review. On 16 January, the Home Secretary announced that victims will be given more power to have their cases re-examined. We have also unveiled a rapid national audit, to be led by Baroness Louise Casey, to uncover the scale and profile, including ethnicity, of group-based offending in the UK today.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific inquiries under Inquiries Act 2005 not committed

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Q4 Mims Davies Con East Grinstead and Uckfield
Context

A report from Nation Cymru highlighted ongoing concerns about the abuse of young children and a lack of support for domestic abuse victims, with an increase in cases reported.

Question

It is clear from the Secretary of State’s weak response that the Labour party has a woman problem and a justice problem. In a Nation Cymru report, a survivor said that she believes the abuse is still happening, and that young victims are not getting the help they need. A refusal to create a process for listening to victims in Wales and holding inquiries means that justice will not prevail and communities remain at risk. This House will be as concerned as I am about the number of domestic abuse cases in south Wales increasing last year; there were almost 18,000 victims. What steps is she taking directly to support victims and survivors?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Wales (Jo Stevens)

That is a bit rich coming from the hon. Lady. Previous Conservative Governments—her Governments—decimated the Ministry of Justice budget. Crown court delays, victims waiting years for Crown court trials—that all happened under their watch. We are protecting women and girls in Wales, where the Tories failed to do so.

Not answered

Not addressed: Specific steps not provided

How: Redirecting Blame

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