Oral Answers to Questions

Jerome Mayhew Excerpts

Wednesday 9th September 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sureena Brackenridge (Wolverhampton North East) (Lab)]

7. What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to halve levels of violence against women and girls.

[Jerome Mayhew (Broadland and Fakenham) (Con)]

9. What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle violence against women and girls.

[Steve Witherden (Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr) (Lab)]

10. What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to halve levels of violence against women and girls.

--- Later in debate ---

[Alex Davies-Jones]

Absolutely. Prevention is at the heart of our flagship strategy to tackle violence against women and girls. That is why we are working on healthy relationship guidance so that all children can understand where to get help and what is an important relationship in their lives. Secondary pupils will be given information on where to report abuse and seek medical attention when required. Just yesterday, I got to witness that in person in Colchester at the Centre for Action on Rape and Abuse—a fantastic organisation that helps young people to rebuild their lives following sexual violence.

[Jerome Mayhew]

More than 100 organisations have warned the Government that their early release scheme will put women and girls at increased risk. Can the Minister explain to the House and to those organisations how the scheme will help her to halve violence against women and girls?

[Alex Davies-Jones]

We have had to put the early release scheme in place to ensure that our criminal justice system is able to function and help all victims, regardless of the type of crime. I regularly meet with all the organisations mentioned in that letter to discuss what protections we can best put in place. He will know that we have increased funding to support victim support services, and there will be a presumption on tagging on release. We are introducing world-first restriction zones to ensure that victims no longer have to constantly look over their shoulder, wondering where their perpetrator is. We are also working on timely communication to ensure that we keep victims and survivors informed, and they can feed in directly to licensing conditions. I will happily discuss this matter with him further if he wishes.