Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Violence against Women and Girls

Wednesday 30 April 2025 · 2 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 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial response stated it is not possible to robustly calculate the number of domestic abusers in prison or their reoffending rate in Wales.
  • Mims Davies expressed horror at a local authority showing teenagers a PowerPoint that urged them to seek consent before engaging in dangerous sexual activities.
  • The response indicated that the independent pornography review was a thorough assessment of pornography legislation and its effectiveness.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Josh Babarinde Lib Dem Eastbourne
Justice & Courts
Context

The MP raised concerns about the lack of specific data on domestic abusers in prison and their reoffending rates, arguing that without a specific legal classification for domestic abuse, it is difficult to accurately track and address these issues.

Question

I asked the Government via a written parliamentary question how many domestic abusers there are in prison in Wales, and what their reoffending rate is. The response was: 'It is not possible to robustly calculate the number of domestic abusers in prison or their reoffending rate... because these crimes are recorded under the specific offences for which they are prosecuted'. There is no specific offence of domestic abuse in law, which means we are not recording this comprehensively, we are not rehabilitating comprehensively and we are not protecting victims comprehensively. If the Government do not create an offence, as I have proposed, what will they do to protect the victims and survivors and to better identify these abusers?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Dame Nia Griffith)

I understand that the hon. Member is bringing forward a private Member’s Bill on domestic abuse. We recognise that being able to identify domestic abuse offenders is critical, but the Government are not convinced that the Bill provides a solution to that challenge. However, the Ministry of Justice will continue to consider how it can make improvements to how we identify offenders.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific legal classification for identifying domestic abuse offenders was avoided.

How: Not Convinced, Will Continue To Consider

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Q2 Mims Davies Con East Grinstead and Uckfield
Safeguarding & DBS Children & Families
Context

The MP expressed concern over a report suggesting that teenagers were being shown a PowerPoint urging them to seek consent before engaging in choking during sex. The Office for National Statistics reported an increase in the prevalence of sexual assault among women aged 16-59.

Question

The House will be as horrified as I was to learn from a shocking report in The Times that a Labour-led local authority apparently showed teenagers a PowerPoint in which they were urged to seek consent from their partner before choking them during sex. It is abhorrent to even attempt to normalise strangling in a loving relationship—indeed, in any relationship. Does the Minister agree that even considering showing such appalling content to pupils in Welsh schools is totally unacceptable, and will she undertake to hold her colleagues to account on this part of the so-called Welsh curriculum? A Welsh rape gang survivor has publicly called for an inquiry into this issue. Has the Minister met the safeguarding Minister—the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, the hon. Member for Birmingham Yardley (Jess Phillips)—to reflect on this and to deliver for victims in Wales?

Answer from Nia Griffith

It is very distressing to hear what the hon. Member has said, but I would say to her that the independent pornography review was a wide-ranging and thorough piece of work that assessed the effectiveness of pornography legislation, regulation and enforcement. The review’s final report was published on 27 February, and its findings continue to be assessed by the Government. It is right that the Government take the time to understand this complex and deeply important topic, and a further update will be provided in due course. If I may, I would just stress the point that the review recommends making non-fatal strangulation pornography clearly and explicitly illegal to possess, distribute and publish.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific actions regarding accountability for inappropriate content were avoided.

How: Take The Time, Understand

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