Oral Answers to Questions

Jayne Kirkham Excerpts

Tuesday 10th September 2024 Commons Chamber

[Alison Hume (Scarborough and Whitby) (Lab)]

3. What steps her Department is taking to support victims of rape and sexual violence.

[Jayne Kirkham (Truro and Falmouth) (Lab/Co-op)]

4. What steps her Department is taking to support victims of rape and sexual violence.

--- Later in debate ---

[Alex Davies-Jones]

As an avid “Emmerdale” fan, I saw that harrowing episode. It goes to show the importance of TV drama in raising awareness of these vital issues. The Government are committed to halving violence against women and girls within a decade. The Ministry of Justice is working with Departments across Whitehall, including the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, to support local authorities to meet their statutory duties, including refuges for all victims of domestic abuse who need them. We know, though, that it is not just refuge support that is important; wider community-based support is important too, and the MOJ provides funding to police and crime commissioners to commission those vital services for victims.

[Jayne Kirkham]

Victims of alleged rape in Truro and Falmouth and across the country are having their trials pushed back for months, if not years, often very shortly before those trials are set to begin. That leads to severe distress for victims and families, and can have unintended consequences, such as bail conditions becoming outdated as victims wait so long for their cases to come to trial that addresses change in the meantime. Will the Minister please outline what she is doing to prevent or minimise the potential harm caused by such unintended consequences and to bring those long-delayed cases to a speedy conclusion?