Oral Answers to Questions

John Milne Excerpts

Wednesday 11th November 2026 Commons Chamber

[Richard Quigley (Isle of Wight West) (Lab)]

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

[John Milne (Horsham) (LD)]

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

[The Minister for Equalities (Satvir Kaur)]

Violence against women and girls is one of the biggest challenges of our time, which is why this Government have committed to halving it in a decade. Progress towards achieving that includes rolling out dedicated specialist teams in every police force, providing specialist rape and serious sex offence courtrooms, and introducing domestic abuse protection orders. We have launched a new taskforce to tackle misogyny, we are teaching children about healthy relationships in school and we are preparing legislation to make it impossible for children to take, share and view nude images.

[Satvir Kaur]

I thank my hon. Friend for the work he does in supporting victims and survivors in his constituency. Victims and survivors of sexual violence should be able to access timely, sensitive and appropriate specialist support wherever they live. He is right to raise the gaps on the Isle of Wight, and I would of course be happy to meet him to see how together we can address that.

[John Milne]

Chart Way is a major pedestrian route into central Horsham, but its street lighting is operated by the owner of an adjacent office block that was recently purchased by a venture capital company. Unfortunately, the company in question has refused to turn on the lights or respond to any inquiry from councillors or my office, despite the fear felt by women and girls—and, indeed, the danger it creates—as the nights draw in. What avenues do we have to address this problem; can the Minister offer any assistance? We just do not seem to have any powers.

[Satvir Kaur]

The hon. Member is absolutely right that women and girls need to feel safe in public spaces. We are going further on this, with a cross-Government ministerial board—both the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Department for Transport are part of it—and I would be happy to work with him and other Departments to ensure that we get this right.