Elsie Blundell

We are engaging widely with stakeholders, including with entrepreneurs and small business owners, on the design and implementation of the Business Growth Service (BGS) to ensure that we deliver on our mission to make it easier for businesses to get the support they need to grow and thrive. We are working in partnership with the Combined Authority and the Growth Hub for Greater Manchester to coordinate and deliver local engagement on the BGS, including in the Heywood and Middleton North constituency.

Energy bills remain high for too many households. The government’s clean energy mission is the only route to protecting billpayers from the rollercoaster of fossil fuel markets in the long-term, which is why we are sprinting to clean, homegrown energy through the Clean Power Action Plan.

We have also taken urgent action to improve energy efficiency in British homes and protect households’ energy bills. On 21 November 2024, we announced how our Warm Homes Plan will support households to take up measures that can help save money on their bills and deliver cleaner heating, with up to 300,000 homes to benefit from upgrades in the next financial year. We also announced proposals on 7 February 2025 for private landlords to meet higher energy performance standards in their properties by 2030, which could save private renters £240 per year off their energy bills. These policies have been communicated across media and digital channels, including ministerial media interviews, GOV.UK publications, graphics and videos on social media. They have been further amplified through work with our partners to reach wider audiences who follow their channels.

This is alongside our support for the ‘Speak, Seek, Save’ campaign run by Citizens Advice, providing advice to consumers on how to save energy and reduce their bills, which includes publishing and amplifying content on social media.

Both artificial intelligence (AI) and the creative industries are central to this government’s driving mission on economic growth. AI may foster innovation and efficiency but may also risk creators losing a portion of their existing income due to AI's substitutional impact on human-created works. In relation to intellectual property rights, rights holders are finding it difficult to control the use of their works in training AI models and to be remunerated for its use.

Our 10-week consultation, published on Tuesday 17 December and closing 25 February, engages AI and creative industries stakeholders widely on the impact of AI on the copyright regime. The aims of the consultation are to seek views on how the copyright framework should apply in the context of AI. Key topics under review include text and data mining, transparency and labelling, computer generated works and digital replicas.

The consultation was published alongside an accompanying options assessment. The consultation seeks to gather further evidence on the potential impact on the creative industries of any change to the copyright regime in the context of AI training. Following the consultation, if legislative changes are needed, a full economic impact assessment will be undertaken.

Chronic loneliness (feeling lonely often or always) can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender or background, although some groups, such as young people aged 16-25, are known to be at a higher risk. Research commissioned by the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) has shown that chronic loneliness increases the risk of a young person experiencing mental health challenges.

The Department for Education (DfE) is working to make sure that all children and young people have access to a variety of enrichment opportunities in school. These activities can strengthen the sense of community and belonging within a school and reduce loneliness among children and young people.

As part of government’s mission to build an NHS that is fit for the future and ensure that those with mental health issues get the support they need, the Government will recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers. We will also provide access to a specialist mental health professional in every school in England, roll out Young Futures hubs in every community and modernise the Mental Health Act.

The department takes the safety of children and those who work with them incredibly seriously, which is why we expect all those with responsibility for managing the school estate, which includes local authorities, governing bodies and academy trusts, to have robust plans in place to manage asbestos in school buildings effectively, in line with their legal duties, drawing on appropriate professional advice.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), as the regulator, sets the legal requirements and standards to manage asbestos and produces guidance for responsible bodies to follow, as duty holders. The department provides guidance, tools and support to help schools and responsible bodies effectively manage their school buildings, including guidance on managing asbestos in schools and colleges, which was updated in October 2024.

Asbestos is typically removed when carrying out wider rebuilding or refurbishment work to improve the condition of buildings. The department follows the advice of the HSE as the regulator, that as long as asbestos-containing materials are undamaged, and not in locations where they are vulnerable to damage, they should be left undisturbed, and their condition monitored.

The department has been clear that when asbestos does pose a risk to safety and cannot be effectively managed in place, it should be removed. The decision to remove asbestos should be considered on a case-by-case basis and annual condition funding provided by the department can be used for this purpose. As part of the 2025/26 budget, we have increased capital allocations to improve the condition of school buildings to £2.1 billion, which is £300 million more than the 2024/25 financial year. This is on top of the School Rebuilding Programme and targeted support for reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete.

Education has a crucial role to play in tackling harmful behaviour, helping children and young people, at primary and secondary level, to develop empathy, boundaries and respect for difference.

Through compulsory relationships education, all pupils, including boys and young men, learn how to form positive and respectful relationships and develop an understanding of the concepts and laws around sexual harassment and sexual violence.

The relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) statutory guidance emphasises that schools should be alive to issues such as everyday sexism, misogyny, homophobia and gender stereotypes and take positive action to build a culture where these are not tolerated, ensuring any occurrences are identified and tackled. The guidance is clear that schools should provide pupils with the knowledge they need to recognise and report abuse, including emotional, physical and sexual abuse, and to build empathy and promote respect for all. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.

Schools should consider what they can do to foster healthy and respectful peer-to-peer communication and behaviour between boys and girls, and provide an environment, which challenges perceived limits on pupils based on their gender or any other characteristic.

​The department is currently reviewing the statutory RSHE curriculum and as part of this review will be looking at how to ensure that the guidance equips pupils, including at primary school level, to form healthy and respectful relationships. We are analysing consultation responses, talking to stakeholders and considering relevant evidence.

Separately, the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review will consider how RSHE fits into the wider curriculum.

All children and young people should have every opportunity to succeed, no matter who they are or where they are from. The Opportunity Mission will break the link between background and success, helping all children achieve and thrive wherever they are in the country.

High and rising standards in every school are at the heart of this mission. We aim to deliver these improvements through excellent teaching and leadership, a high quality curriculum, and a system which removes the barriers to learning that hold too many children back.

The department has utilised the local needs fund and supported the delivery of bespoke school improvement across Oldham, Rochdale, Salford and Tameside schools to improve attainment at early years and at key stages 2 and 4.

More widely, to ensure all children and young people have expert qualified teachers driving high and rising standards across our schools and colleges, the department has started work to recruit 6,500 new expert teachers. We have also launched the Curriculum and Assessment Review that will look closely at the barriers which hold children back from the opportunities and life chances they deserve, in particular those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged or with special educational needs and disabilities.

Backed by over £20 million, new Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence (RISE) teams will also drive higher standards, by providing a mandatory bespoke service to schools that Ofsted identifies as needing to improve. They will also provide a universal service acting as a catalyst for improvement across all schools, with RISE teams sharing effective practice and empowering schools to better access support and learn from one another.

To further support disadvantaged children, pupil premium funding is allocated to schools to support the educational outcomes of disadvantaged pupils and is worth over £2.9 billion in the 2024/25 financial year.

Alongside this, in 2025/26, 10.6% (£5.1 billion) of the schools national funding formula (NFF) has been allocated through deprivation factors and 17.8% (£8.6 billion) has been allocated for additional needs. Furthermore, in 2025/26, on average, the most deprived schools have attracted the largest per pupil funding amounts through the schools NFF. This will help schools in their vital work to close attainment gaps and break down barriers to opportunity.

Valencia Waste Management has applied to the Environment Agency (EA) for a new Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) at the Pilsworth South Landfill Site. This activity requires a variation to the existing landfill permit.

The variation has been subject to public consultation and is still being determined.

The EA engaged directly with the local community, partners, Greater Manchester Mayor, Members of Parliament, Councillors, and stakeholders. The consultation closed on 23 August 2024 with approximately 280 responses received from the public and stakeholders.

Bury Council is responsible for the planning permission for the MRF.

The EA is not aware of any proposals for new landfill sites in this immediate area.

The British Transport Police’s (BTP) budget is set by the British Transport Police Authority (BTPA). It is the executive non-departmental public body that oversees the Force and is their employer. BTPA sets the BTP’s budget annually following proposals from the Force and views from industry. Set against a backdrop of wider public sector efficiencies and affordability by the rail industry it has agreed a budget increase for the financial year 2025/26 of 5.9%.

The cost of policing the rail network in Great Britain is primarily covered through the funding agreements that the British Transport Police Authority holds with Network Rail, the rail operators and Transport for London.

BTP are dedicated to building a modern, inclusive, and resilient force that reflects the communities it serves, and that keeps the railway safe and secure for passengers and rail staff. Their latest headcount figures show the Force is successful at maintaining staff and officer numbers at a consistent level.

We are working closely with industry experts to ensure that women are represented within all levels of the transport system.

This includes supporting the Generation Logistics campaign. Led by the industry, this initiative aims to raise awareness and enhance perceptions of careers in logistics, including promoting roles to women where they are currently under-represented.

Officials engage regularly with industry stakeholders, including employers and trade associations, to understand and address issues relating to the recruitment, retention and promotion of women in transport.

We also work closely with modal partners such as Women In Rail, Women in Bus and Coach and the Women In Maritime on programmes to support women in their careers.

We are working across the transport sector to ensure that women are represented within all levels of the transport system.

Specifically on leadership positions, we are supporters of the 'women in aviation and aerospace charter’, a commitment for organisations to support the progression of women into senior roles in the aviation and aerospace sectors by focusing on roles in the executive pipeline and the mid-tier level.

We also work closely with modal partners such as Women In Rail, Women in Bus and Coach and the Women In Maritime on programmes to support women in their careers.

We work closely with the Mayor and Greater Manchester Combined Authority to support their plans and strategies to improve connectivity within and across Greater Manchester including Middleton and Heywood. This has included strong endorsement and support for the successful introduction of the Bee Network, including providing £66.3m for buses in 2025/26, protecting and supporting services, and delivering Bus Service Improvement Plans.

We are providing substantial transport funding for the Greater Manchester region, including over £1bn from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) for 2022/23 – 2026/27. This includes the tram/train scheme from Bury-Rochdale that goes through Heywood and is designed to significantly enhance local connectivity. Transport for Greater Manchester is targeting delivery of this scheme in the early 2030's, with an outline business case due with the Department in early 2026.

Additionally, an extra £200m for CRSTS was announced in October to further support transport connectivity in major city regions, including Greater Manchester. Through the Greater Manchester Pathfinder Devolution Deal we are providing Greater Manchester with a single integrated funding settlement, which includes CRSTS, to ensure that funding is prioritised locally to meet local connectivity requirements.

The Department is continuing to work with MHCLG and other partners to deliver a well-designed, integrated, and affordable transport network that plays a vital role in unlocking homes, and delivering wider benefits, including reducing congestion and emissions, promoting less sedentary lifestyles, and ensuring communities can access jobs and services.

As recently announced by the Chancellor, as part of the governments reform of the planning system, untapped land near commuter transport hubs will be unlocked for housing - with plans to consult in the Spring on a new, streamlined set of national policies for decision making to guide planning decisions taken by local authorities and promote housebuilding in key areas.

We will continue to work closely with the Mayor and local leaders across Greater Manchester, including those in Middleton and Heywood, to ensure these reforms maximise transport investment benefits for housing and growth.

We are providing substantial transport funding for the Greater Manchester region, including over £1bn from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) for 2022/23 – 2026/27. This includes the tram/train scheme from Bury-Rochdale that goes through Castleton and Heywood. As the business case development progresses on this CRSTS scheme, DFT officials will continue to support GMCA officials, and will ensure potential benefits from planned housing are considered in this work.

Additionally, an extra £200m for CRSTS was announced in October to further support transport in major city regions, including Greater Manchester.

Prior to January 2025, wait times on the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) enquiry lines were stable and consistent.

• During November the average wait time for customers making an enquiry about their new claim was less than 7 minutes, and for customers making a general enquiry, wait times were consistently below 22 minutes.
• During December the average wait time for customers making an enquiry about their new claim was less than 4 minutes, and for customers making a general enquiry, again consistently below 22 minutes.

We have seen some disruption impacting the PIP telephony service during January 2025, due to technical issues, and whilst customers calling the new claims enquiry line will have seen calls continue to be answered in an average time of 5 minutes, call wait times on the general PIP enquiry line increased to just over 36 minutes.

To address the issue, which has also resulted in a high volume of repeat calls, additional resource has been deployed to the PIP general enquiry line, and we are now starting to see some recovery. Wait times last week had reduced to an average of 28 minutes, and we expect this to improve further over the next couple of weeks.

The primary way the Department supports people nearing the end of life is through special benefit rules which are known as the Special Rules for End of Life (SREL). These enable people who are nearing the end of their lives to get faster, easier access to certain benefits, without needing to attend a medical assessment or serve waiting periods and in most cases, receive the highest rate of benefit.

For many years, the Special Rules applied to people who have 6 months or less to live, they have now been changed so they apply to people who have 12 months or less to live. Changes to the Special Rules mean that thousands of people nearing the end of life are now able to claim fast-tracked financial support from the benefits system six months earlier than they were able to previously.

The Department is committed to processing all benefit claims as quickly as possible. For PIP, Special Rules claims in England and Wales currently take 3 working days to clear for new claims and 2 working days for a reassessment on average – this compares to the current average end-to-end claim process for new normal rules PIP claims of 14 weeks.

Managing customer journey times for PIP claimants is a priority for the department and we are working constantly to improve our service.

Our aim is to make an award decision as quickly as possible, taking into account the need to review all the available evidence including that from the claimant.

However, we have been seeing continuing high levels of new claims which has impacted our capacity to carry out award reviews as quickly as we would like.

In order to deal with this demand, we have been prioritising new claims, to ensure new claimants are paid as soon as possible whilst safeguarding claimants awaiting award reviews, who have returned their information as required, to ensure their payments continue until their review can be completed.

GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) provides information on eligibility and how to make a claim for benefits, including signposting to telephony routes (including textphone and Relay UK) for people who are unable to complete forms online. There are videos on the DWP YouTube channel that provide further information on a range of benefits including Personal Independence Payment, Universal Credit, Winter Fuel Payment, Pension Credit and DLA for Children and these explain how to claim and what to expect once a claim has been made.

Guidance on GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) also includes information on benefits people may be able to claim and other financial support. This includes housing support, help with council tax and direct payments for social care. Where appropriate DWP letters include signposting to additional help and support.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is tackling Great Britain’s asbestos legacy using a variety of regulatory interventions, including licencing of removal contractors and inspection of the management of asbestos in situ, stakeholder engagement and research activities. Collectively, this supports duty holders and other stakeholders to manage asbestos safely to avoid further exposure to risk and work towards an asbestos-free built environment, in compliance with the stringent controls on working with asbestos introduced several decades ago.

The government recognises the devastating impact on those who have asbestos related disease and their families. We know that we need to do more. As part of this, HSE inspectors consider management of asbestos at every inspection of premises where asbestos may be present, they are holding an Asbestos Research Summit in March 2025 which will bring together technical experts and stakeholders to look at our strategic research priorities for asbestos and they are developing proposals to strengthen the existing legislative framework and intend to consult on this within the next financial year. We are also actively considering recommendations made by the Work and Pensions Select Committee to bring about a long term solution to Great Britain’s asbestos legacy.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are accountable to NHS England. The NHS Oversight Framework outlines NHS England’s approach to overseeing and monitoring ICB performance, and NHS England regional teams have regular review meetings with ICBs, the frequency of which will vary according to the governance arrangements, but they should be at least quarterly.

More broadly, the Government is working to reduce the number of patients awaiting treatment across the country, including those in Heywood and Middleton North. The Elective Reform Plan, launched as part of the Government’s Plan for Change, sets out how we will get back to the NHS Constitutional Standard, that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment (RTT) by the end of this Parliament, and will also ensure patients have the best possible experience of care.

We have set an ambition for 2025/26 that we reach 65% of patients waiting no longer than 18 weeks nationally, and for all trusts to deliver a minimum 5% improvement by March 2026. We will also publish minimum standards of care that patients can expect to experience, and will make digital improvements, including to the NHS App, to provide patients with greater choice, control, and flexibility.

Across the country, dedicated and protected surgical hubs are transforming the way the National Health Service provides elective care, by focussing on high volume low complexity surgeries. In the Heywood and Middleton North constituency, there are two such surgical hubs serving patients, the Fairfield General Hospital Elective Surgical Hub, and the Rochdale Infirmary Elective Surgical Hub.

The Government is providing at least £600 million of new grant funding for social care, as part of the broader estimated real-terms uplift to core local government spending power of approximately 3.2%. Local authorities are responsible for how they use the available funding to fulfil their duties under the Care Act (2014).

The Government recognises that sometimes businesses do not declare their cash income and thereby conceal their true earnings and is committed to creating a level playing field for all by ensuring that everyone pays the right amount of tax at the right time. Most taxpayers pay what they owe, but a small minority fail to register with HMRC or only declare a portion of their earnings. This small minority deprive our vital public services of funding, affect fair competition between businesses, and place unfair burdens on everyone else. It is vital these revenues are collected to fund our essential public services. Closing the tax gap and making sure that more of the tax that is owed is correctly paid is one of the Government’s top priorities for HMRC.

HMRC is making it increasingly difficult for businesses to hide their earnings and have an extensive range of powers, including information gathering powers, that help build a picture of risk and identify those who are trying to abuse the system. HMRC’s approach to tax evasion aims to tackle current non-compliance and change future behaviours. Their activities include national campaigns and specialist task forces that incorporate intensive bursts of activity in targeted high risk trade sectors, such as the hospitality sector, and locations across the UK. This includes providing customer education highlighting the importance of keeping accurate records.

Cash continues to be used by many people across the UK and is a legitimate means of paying for goods and services. It is the choice of a business whether to accept or decline any form of payment and is based on factors such as customer preference and cost.

Where an individual or business is paid in cash, the onus is on them to ensure they meet their tax obligations, including registering for and paying the right taxes.

The Government will continue to consider options to tackle cash-facilitated evasion and has indicated it will consult in the future on any measures in relation to tackling cash facilitated evasion.

Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs) are the first order to cover all forms of domestic abuse including economic abuse, coercive and controlling behaviour and are the first cross-jurisdictional order available in the family, civil and criminal courts to protect victims. They can impose notification requirements, electronic monitoring and attendance to a behaviour change programme. Breach of a DAPO is a criminal offence punishable by up to 5 years’ imprisonment. Greater Manchester Police was the first force to secure a custodial sentence for a breach of a DAPO.

We have commissioned an evaluation of DAPOs to gather evidence to understand how DAPOs are working in practice. The evaluation will include an assessment of how police are resourcing DAPOs.

The Government has committed to restoring neighbourhood policing through the delivery of a Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee. This includes new putting 13,000 additional police officers, PCSOs and Special Constables on the beat in neighbourhoods up and down the country. Every part of the country needs to benefit from this pledge including Heywood and Middleton North constituency.

Details of each force’s allocation of the neighbourhood policing grant for 2025-26 were announced at the final police funding settlement on 30 January.

Tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) is a top priority for this Government and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission.

The Government’s Plan for Change, announced by the Prime Minister on 5 December, committed to a zero-tolerance approach to ASB. This will include a dedicated lead officer in every force working with communities to develop a local anti-social behaviour action plan. We will also put 13,000 neighbourhood police and community support officers into local communities so that residents have a named officer they can turn to when things go wrong.

The Government recently announced Respect Orders which will be introduced through the Crime and Policing Bill. Respect Orders can be applied for by the police and local councils and are issued by the courts. They will enable courts to place wide-ranging restrictions on the behaviour of the most persistent and disruptive ASB offenders. Breaching a Respect Order will be a criminal offence, allowing police officers to immediately arrest offenders and disrupt ongoing ASB.

Backed by £150 million funding, the Border Security Command (BSC) has a strategic cross-government remit and convening authority over the border security system, with its early focus on delivering operational capacity and new powers to support agencies across the Border Security system to dismantle criminal gangs quickly and effectively.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) leads the law enforcement response to the organised criminality involved in the trafficking and smuggling of people to the UK; it investigates and brings organised immigration crime offenders to justice. The NCA assesses their activity is having an impact here and overseas –Their operational results are demonstrated in the form of arrests, prosecutions and seizures, and they have continued to disrupt a large number of networks involved in this type of criminality since July 2024.

From 4^th July 2024 through 12^th December 2024, 17 people were convicted and sentenced across 7 OIC operations thanks to NCA’s actions. 15 of those sentenced received a total of over 107 years in custody, with a further 2 people receiving suspended sentences for their OIC crimes.

The NCA has over 70 ongoing investigations into networks or individuals in the top tier of organised immigration crime - several of these sit right at the top of the NCA’s priority list.

This Government has set out an ambition to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG) within a decade. Achieving this requires a transformative approach to the way we work together across national and local Government, public services, the private sector, and charities.

This includes working with the Department for Transport and the transport sector, on how we can improve safety for women using the transport network.

I meet Ministerial colleagues from across Government regularly and recently met with the Minister for Local Transport 2024 to discuss how we can better tackle VAWG on transport networks right across the country. My officials and I also engage regularly with the British Transport Police on this issue.

On 27 November 2024, we launched the new Domestic Abuse Protection Orders in select areas, including Greater Manchester, which will go further than existing protective orders to protect victims.

In addition, Greater Manchester Police is continuing to drive forward the work of Operation Soteria, a unique police and Crown Prosecution Service programme, which has introduced new operating models for the investigation and prosecution of rape in England and Wales.

Homelessness levels are far too high. This can have a devastating impact on those affected. We have already taken the first steps to get back on track to ending homelessness. As announced at the Budget, funding for homelessness services is increasing next year by £233 million compared to this year (2024/25) and brings total spend to nearly £1 billion in 2025/26.

The Deputy Prime Minister is leading cross-government work to deliver the long-term solutions we need to get us back on track to ending all forms of homelessness. This includes chairing a dedicated Inter-Ministerial Group, bringing together ministers from across government to develop a long-term strategy, and working with mayors and councils across the country.

Pregnant women experiencing homelessness continue to have priority need for accommodation under the Homelessness Reduction Act (2018), which places a duty on local housing authorities to prevent and relieve homelessness.

MHCLG Ministers have had a range of discussions with the Mayor for Greater Manchester and the Combined Authority about their priorities and plans. This includes the Places for Everyone plan for jobs, new homes, and sustainable growth. These conversations have not covered the detail of impacts on places within Greater Manchester, including planned developments close to Castleton Rail Station. These details and impacts are the responsibility of Rochdale Borough Council, the Mayor and Combined Authority working with local partners and elected members.

Officials from my Department engage regularly with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) in relation to their Places for Everyone plan, which includes the Sidings and Trows Farm developments in Castleton.

We will continue to work closely with GMCA to support their housebuilding ambitions as part of the Places for Everyone plan and to progress a devolved Integrated Settlement that will support local and regional economic growth.

Everyone deserves to live in a decent, safe and warm home. The government is therefore bringing forward a consultation in early 2025, setting out plans for a reformed Decent Homes Standard that will apply to both the social and private rented sectors to ensure safe and secure housing is the standard across the country.

The Renters’ Rights Bill will also drive significant improvements to conditions in the private rented sector. Ensuring landlords adhere to a legally binding Decent Homes Standard and extending ‘Awaab’s Law’ to private landlords will reduce the number of poor-quality privately rented homes and empower tenants to raise concerns about damp, dangerous and cold homes.

Regarding new homes, the Building Safety Act created a power to mandate, for the first time, the requirement that all newly built homes be sold with a new build warranty. The government is carefully considering next steps regarding commencement of this power.

With regards to scope, in private family proceedings, legal aid is available for matters such as child arrangements, financial remedy proceedings and divorce if an individual is a victim of domestic abuse or is at risk of being abused.

Legal aid is also available in certain private family proceedings if a child is a victim of child abuse or at risk of abuse. Funding is subject to providing the required evidence of domestic abuse or child abuse as specified in legal aid legislation and meeting the relevant merits and financial eligibility criteria.

A financial eligibility waiver is available for victims of domestic abuse applying for protective injunctions, such as non-molestation orders, which means they can receive legal aid even if they would not otherwise pass the means test, though they may be required to pay a financial contribution towards their legal costs.

In public family proceedings, means-free legal aid is available for parents, those with parental responsibility, and children in public family law special Children Act’s cases, including care proceedings and adoption proceedings under the Children Act 1989 as well as in related proceedings.

Legal aid funded services are provided by independent organisations who hold contracts to carry out legal aid work. The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is responsible for the commissioning and procurement of these contracts. The LAA is satisfied that there is adequate supply of family law services in the North West of England.

As part of our landmark mission to halve violence against women and girls within a decade, we are committed to strengthening the justice system’s response to domestic abuse.

Decisions on case listing are a matter for the independent judiciary, who do, where possible, look to prioritise cases involving vulnerable victims and witnesses, such as victims of domestic abuse.

Most domestic abuse cases are heard in Magistrates’ Courts where cases move more swiftly than at the Crown Court. Despite this, we recognise that some cases are taking longer to work through the system.  We are actively exploring the merits of specialist court models and have committed to fast-track rape cases through the Crown Court.

In November, we launched the Domestic Abuse Protection Order (DAPO) pilot to provide more protection for victims and we have also committed to introduce domestic abuse experts in 999 control rooms.

This Government was elected with a landmark mission to halve violence against women and girls in the next decade. We will use every tool within our power to target perpetrators and address the root causes of abuse and violence, including domestic abuse. For instance, in November, we launched Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs) in selected areas including Greater Manchester, to provide more protection for victims. Working closely with all our delivery partners in the Greater Manchester area has been critical to the successful pilot launch in this area, and we engage regularly with Greater Manchester Central Authority via our Greater Manchester DAPO Local Partner Steering Group.