Oral Answers to Questions

Andrew Western Excerpts

Tuesday 28th March 2023 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Andrew Western (Stretford and Urmston) (Lab)]

1. What steps his Department is taking to reform the criminal justice system to help tackle violence against women and girls.

[The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (Dominic Raab)]

The Government are taking a zero-tolerance approach to violence against women and girls. Just this month, in response to the Wade review, we announced tougher sentences for domestic abusers who kill their partners and ex-partners.

[Andrew Western]

It is now more than two months since His Majesty’s inspectorate of probation published its independent “Serious Further Offences” report into Jordan McSweeney, following the murder of Zara Aleena. Have the Government yet implemented the urgent actions set out in that report?

[Dominic Raab]

I have met Zara Aleena’s family and the chief inspector of probation to talk about those failings. We have accepted all of the recommendations. I can write to the hon. Gentleman in relation to those, because they were numerous, but we are in the process of implementing each and every one of them.