Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Violence against Women and Girls

Tuesday 19 May 2026 · 7 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 4 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Minister committed to halving violence against women and girls through government action.
  • Baroness Harman will meet with Prime Minister and victims of Mohammed Fayed abuse.
  • Minister supports GPS tagging for high-risk domestic abusers to ensure perpetrator restrictions.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Allison Gardner Lab Stoke-on-Trent South
Justice & Courts Women & Equalities
Context

The Labour MP wants to address how violence against women can be tackled using the criminal justice system.

Question

How he plans to work with the Prime Minister's adviser on women and girls to help tackle violence against women and girls through the criminal justice system.

Answer from Catherine Atkinson

This Government are committed to halving violence against women and girls. Baroness Harman will report directly to the Prime Minister and work across Government to ensure that we deliver the urgent change that is needed. There are few who can match Baroness Harman's decades-long commitment to women and girls.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific plans for working with the PM's advisor on tackling violence through criminal justice system were not detailed

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Q2 Dave Robertson Lab Lichfield
Women & Equalities
Context

Survivors of abuse by Mohammed Fayed have been waiting for years to meet the Prime Minister's adviser on women and girls. There are nearly 500 such individuals.

Question

In March, the Prime Minister agreed to meet survivors of abuse by Mohammed Fayed. Almost 500 survivors have come forward, all of whom have been waiting for years, and in many cases decades, for justice. Can the Minister confirm whether the Prime Minister's adviser on women and girls will attend that meeting, and what progress has been made on scheduling it?

Answer from Catherine Atkinson

I thank my hon. Friend for his continued leadership as co-chair of the all-party parliamentary group for the survivors of Fayed and Harrods. I was in contact with Baroness Harman yesterday and will raise the possibility of her joining the Prime Minister's meeting with victims and survivors.

Partly answered

Not addressed: No confirmation given on whether PM's advisor will attend, only possibility raised

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Q3 Allison Gardner Lab Stoke-on-Trent South
Crime & Law Enforcement Justice & Courts
Context

A pilot programme by the Greater London Authority showed a significant reduction in reoffending rates with GPS tracking. The concern is that not all offenders would be subject to this measure.

Question

Welcomes the announcement of a record £100 million expansion of GPS tagging for domestic abusers but expresses concern as it applies only to high-risk offenders, given that many perpetrators escalate their violence on release and all domestic abuse is serious. Asks if Minister will consider extending GPS tagging to all convicted offenders of domestic abuse.

Answer from Catherine Atkinson

Ensuring that it is perpetrators and not victims who are punished and restricted is key to the DAPOL—domestic abuse perpetrators on licence—pilot. Offenders are tagged on release and subjected to strict conditions, such as exclusion zones and curfews. I would be happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss her concerns.

Partly answered

Not addressed: No specific commitment given to extend GPS tagging beyond high-risk offenders

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Q4 Roger Gale Con Herne Bay and Sandwich
Justice & Courts

Question

Further to the Minister’s response to the hon. Member for Lichfield (Dave Robertson), and on the basis that justice delayed is justice denied, will she seek to use her good offices with the Home Office to ensure that the Metropolitan police expedite their investigations so that the hundreds of women who suffered at the hands of Fayed can at last have the justice that they deserve?

Answer from Catherine Atkinson

The right hon. Gentleman is absolutely right that justice delayed is justice denied, which is why this Government are taking such proactive steps to reduce the delays that victims are experiencing. I would be happy to meet him and other Members who I know are hugely concerned about the impact of these cases on victims and survivors.

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Q5 Katie Lam Con Weald of Kent
Women & Equalities
Context

Baroness Harman made a statement on social media supporting Arooj Shah, who had previously blocked an inquiry into rape and grooming gangs in Oldham.

Question

Almost the first thing Baroness Harman did after her appointment was to advocate for Arooj Shah on social media. Given that Shah spent years trying to block a full inquiry into rape and grooming gangs in Oldham, what does this say about victims' trust in the new adviser? Additionally, does the Minister agree that Shah should be made a life peer?

Answer from Catherine Atkinson

Baroness Harman has spent decades turning words into action on women's rights issues, whether by passing landmark legislation or strengthening protections. She is committed to ending violence against women and girls, and this government is determined to halve such violence through its VAWG strategy.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Whether Arooj Shah should be made a life peer

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Q6 Kieran Mullan Con Bexhill and Battle
Justice & Courts Standards & Ethics
Context

The government is planning to release thousands of offenders who are considered high-risk for violence against women and girls.

Question

The Government are allowing potentially thousands of the worst offenders against women and girls to be released from prison earlier. Will the new Minister commit to being transparent about how many rapists will be let out early this year?

Answer from Catherine Atkinson

The previous Conservative Government left a criminal justice system where victims waited years for trials and felt traumatised by court processes, with prisons at risk of collapse. Labour is now taking action to reduce waiting times for trials and better support victims through increased funding.

Not addressed: Transparency on the number of rapists being released early this year

How: Changed Subject Entirely Without Addressing The Question

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Q7 Kieran Mullan Con Bexhill and Battle
Justice & Courts
Context

A victim of rape whose perpetrator is currently in prison faces the possibility of an early release. The question arises from concerns about how to inform such victims.

Question

I ask the Minister to think about a situation where a victim of rape, who has their perpetrator in prison, will now face the rapist getting out earlier than expected due to changes in sentencing policies. I wonder what that victim would think about the answer the Minister gave previously regarding early release for serious offenders. If she refuses to tell the House, will she commit to writing to all women and girls whose offender is currently not due to be released but now will be released this year? Will she at least inform victims when this is going to happen?

Answer from Catherine Atkinson

I meet constituents every week, and victims will always be my priority. The hon. Gentleman has come to this House time and again to list horrific offences, but he has not once apologised for the damage that his party did to our justice system. Victims will not forget the mess the Conservatives created, forgive their failure to take action or be fooled by their claims to care now.

Not addressed: Commitment to writing letters to victims and informing them about release dates was avoided.

How: Redirecting Blame, Criticizing Opposition

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