Women’s Suffrage Centenary

Caroline Flint Excerpts

Tuesday 6th February 2018 Commons Chamber

[Amber Rudd]

I share the hon. Lady’s view that those refuges provide essential support for women who are victims of domestic abuse and I am proud that we have more beds available now than we had in 2010. She is right that we are conducting a review. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is doing that review, but I will work closely with it to ensure that there is no reduction in the number of beds available. That will be a central part of our domestic abuse Bill, which will be coming forward later this year.

[Caroline Flint (Don Valley) (Lab)]

This is an amazing day for all of us women who have been elected to Parliament. I am the 201st woman to be elected.

I think today reminds us that so often when we study history, women’s participation in it, and contribution to it, is not celebrated or talked about. This is about ordinary people, ordinary women, doing extraordinary things. Does the Home Secretary agree that it would be a wonderful contribution to this centenary year if we asked all MPs to provide a story about the women in their constituencies or areas who did something for the suffrage movement? It could be kept in the House to be used by the education service, so that there will be no reason for future generations of boys and girls not to understand the contribution that women made.

[Amber Rudd]

I think that that is an excellent idea. I have a very good story from Hastings, which I am longing to put in that book.