Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the support available to people who have left coercive relationships but continue to be subject to attempts at (a) financial and (b) other control by their ex-partners with whom they share parental responsibilities.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Controlling and coercive behaviour is a particularly insidious form of domestic abuse, which can continue post-separation. It is often part of a wider pattern of abuse, including violent, sexual or economic abuse.

Since 5th April 2023, following the passage of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, and the amendment to Section 76 under the Serious Crime Act 2015, the controlling or coercive behaviour offence applies to ex-partners or family members who do not live together. This offers wider protection to victims who are experiencing abuse from an ex-partner they do not live with.

I recognise the devastating impact financial and economic abuse can have on victims. We continue to promote awareness of economic abuse to improve the public and private sector's response, particularly working with the specialist charity Surviving Economic Abuse to strengthen financial systems and support victims.

Proposals to reform the Child Maintenance Services (CMS) were published by the previous Government. This included removing Direct Pay and managing all CMS cases in one service to allow the CMS to tackle non-compliance faster, as well as exploring how victims and survivors of domestic abuse can be better supported. We are analysing the responses received, and the Government will publish a response in due course.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support holiday home facilities for disabled people in (a) Bolton North East constituency and (b) the rest of the UK.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Holiday accommodation must be accessible to all visitors. DCMS are introducing a registration scheme for short-term lets, which Parliament legislated for in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023. The scheme will help improve transparency around safety across England, including in Bolton North East. The scheme will ensure all providers comply with essential health and safety requirements, including fire and gas safety regulations, which will help maintain appropriate standards for all guests, including those with accessibility needs. This will enable local authorities to better understand and support the provision of safe, accessible holiday accommodation in their areas.

Found: meeting Members present: Sarah Owen (Chair); Alex Brewer; David Burton-Sampson; Rosie Duffield; Kirith Entwistle

Found: David Burton-Sampson (Labour; Southend West and Leigh) Rosie Duffield (Independent; Canterbury) Kirith Entwistle

Found: Mullane Charlotte Nichols Carla Denyer Dr Simon Opher Cat Eccles Kim Johnson Zarah Sultana Kirith Entwistle

Found: Mullane Charlotte Nichols Carla Denyer Dr Simon Opher Cat Eccles Kim Johnson Zarah Sultana Kirith Entwistle

Found: Mullane Charlotte Nichols Carla Denyer Dr Simon Opher Cat Eccles Kim Johnson Zarah Sultana Kirith Entwistle

Found: Mullane Charlotte Nichols Carla Denyer Dr Simon Opher Cat Eccles Kim Johnson Zarah Sultana Kirith Entwistle

Found: Mullane Charlotte Nichols Carla Denyer Dr Simon Opher Cat Eccles Kim Johnson Zarah Sultana Kirith Entwistle

Found: Mullane Charlotte Nichols Carla Denyer Dr Simon Opher Cat Eccles Kim Johnson Zarah Sultana Kirith Entwistle

Found: Mullane Charlotte Nichols Carla Denyer Dr Simon Opher Cat Eccles Kim Johnson Zarah Sultana Kirith Entwistle

Found: Mullane Charlotte Nichols Carla Denyer Dr Simon Opher Cat Eccles Kim Johnson Zarah Sultana Kirith Entwistle

This is a one off session examining issues around gendered Islamophobia.