Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to issue guidance encouraging local domestic abuse partnerships to engage formally with faith-based organisations and faith leaders as part of their local strategies for tackling violence against women and girls.

Answered by Baroness Blake of Leeds - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

This government is committed to supporting victims of domestic abuse as part of its ambition to halve violence against women and girls in a decade. Achieving this will require a whole of society approach, including from faith organisations, which play a vital role in supporting people and places to thrive.

Since 2021, Tier 1 local authorities in England have had a statutory duty to ensure that victims of domestic abuse and their children can access support in relevant safe accommodation when needed, backed by £499 million government funding over the period 2026-27 to 2028-29. Statutory guidance makes clear that in delivering the duty, local authorities should consider the needs of all victims; understand barriers to accessing support within relevant safe accommodation, including those linked to religion or belief; and ensure appropriate specialist support is available for victims with relevant protected characteristics, including religion or belief.

Local authorities must appoint and consult a domestic abuse Local Partnership Board including a representative of local charities or voluntary organisations supporting domestic abuse victims, and are encouraged to appoint additional members where this reflects local circumstances and need.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support local authorities to work with faith-based organisations as trusted community institutions for women at risk of domestic abuse.

Answered by Baroness Blake of Leeds - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

This government is committed to supporting victims of domestic abuse as part of its ambition to halve violence against women and girls in a decade. Achieving this will require a whole of society approach, including from faith organisations, which play a vital role in supporting people and places to thrive.

Since 2021, Tier 1 local authorities in England have had a statutory duty to ensure that victims of domestic abuse and their children can access support in relevant safe accommodation when needed, backed by £499 million government funding over the period 2026-27 to 2028-29. Statutory guidance makes clear that in delivering the duty, local authorities should consider the needs of all victims; understand barriers to accessing support within relevant safe accommodation, including those linked to religion or belief; and ensure appropriate specialist support is available for victims with relevant protected characteristics, including religion or belief.

Local authorities must appoint and consult a domestic abuse Local Partnership Board including a representative of local charities or voluntary organisations supporting domestic abuse victims, and are encouraged to appoint additional members where this reflects local circumstances and need.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to integrate faith-based organisations into local domestic abuse referral pathways.

Answered by Baroness Blake of Leeds - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

This government is committed to supporting victims of domestic abuse as part of its ambition to halve violence against women and girls in a decade. Achieving this will require a whole of society approach, including from faith organisations, which play a vital role in supporting people and places to thrive.

Since 2021, Tier 1 local authorities in England have had a statutory duty to ensure that victims of domestic abuse and their children can access support in relevant safe accommodation when needed, backed by £499 million government funding over the period 2026-27 to 2028-29. Statutory guidance makes clear that in delivering the duty, local authorities should consider the needs of all victims; understand barriers to accessing support within relevant safe accommodation, including those linked to religion or belief; and ensure appropriate specialist support is available for victims with relevant protected characteristics, including religion or belief.

Local authorities must appoint and consult a domestic abuse Local Partnership Board including a representative of local charities or voluntary organisations supporting domestic abuse victims, and are encouraged to appoint additional members where this reflects local circumstances and need.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve access to health services for care leavers in light of the finding of the independent Review of early deaths of care leavers, published on 25 August, that mortality rates are significantly higher among that group.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

This government commissioned this review to examine the shockingly high number of early deaths of care experienced young people. We are determined to address this national tragedy and are working quickly, across central government and with local partners, to deliver a significant programme of improved support for care leavers as part of our wider reforms to children’s social care.

Work is already underway in this area, including implementing free NHS prescriptions, dental care and eyecare for care leavers from age 16 to their 25th birthday, funding the development of a toolkit to help local authorities and health partners to develop their own co-located mental health services for care-experienced young people, and embedding a mental health worker into local authority leaving care teams as part of further rollout of Staying Close. We will also ensure that statutory guidance for local authorities as well as health services takes account of the review’s findings, including to improve access to physical and mental health services for care leavers.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to increasing and ringfencing funding for leaving care teams in light of the finding of the independent Review of early deaths of care leavers, published on 25 August, that the current workforce supporting young people leaving care is not fit for purpose for those with the greatest need.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

This government commissioned this review, bringing to the country’s attention the tragic number of young care leavers who die far too young. The transition to adulthood is an important moment to get right, and the leaving care personal adviser workforce plays a crucial role in that.

We are reviewing the personal adviser workforce and setting higher expectations in the relevant guidance. We have confirmed £25 million of funding this financial year alone, to continue the rollout of Staying Close for care leavers, alongside imposing new duties on councils to strengthen their local offer for young people leaving care, which took effect at the end of September.

The final 2026/27 Local Government Finance Settlement offers £78 billion in Core Spending Power for local authorities in England in 2026/27, a 6.1% increase compared to 2025/26. This includes the Revenue Support Grant, which contains funding for the Leaving Care Allowance uplift, extended personal adviser duties, and Staying Put.

The government has a long-standing commitment to provide funding to councils on a non-ringfenced basis, supporting effective and innovative financial management locally and giving local authorities the flexibility to prioritise spending based on local needs and priorities.

Found: report of its conclusions and recommendations by the end of November 2027 Supported by: The Lord Bishop of Manchester

Found: this letter to Lord Davies of Gower, Lord German, Baroness Chakrabarti, Lord Harper, the Lord Bishop of Manchester