Oral Answers to Questions

Lucy Frazer Excerpts

Thursday 25th April 2019 Commons Chamber

[Anna Turley (Redcar) (Lab/Co-op)]

T5. EVA Women’s Aid in my constituency, which deals with nearly 1,000 vulnerable women a year, has had its rape and sexual abuse support fund grant cut, forcing it to look to close services. Will the Minister join me in urging her colleagues at the Ministry of Justice, which funds the organisation, to reconsider these cuts before crucial services to vulnerable women in Redcar and Cleveland are lost?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Lucy Frazer)]

As the hon. Lady will know, we are doing a great deal to support women, and men, who have suffered from domestic violence. The Domestic Abuse Bill is currently being looked at. The Government have pledged an additional £20 million over this Parliament to support victims and organisations combating domestic abuse. Women’s Aid does a fantastic job.

[Mrs Helen Grant (Maidstone and The Weald) (Con)]

In light of recent objection to the Hereditary Titles (Female Succession) Bill of my hon. Friend the Member for Shipley (Philip Davies) that would address the discrimination against daughters when it comes to inheritance, when do the Government intend to end the practice of male primogeniture?

--- Later in debate ---

[Louise Haigh (Sheffield, Heeley) (Lab)]

Will the Minister confirm the Government’s position on whether the automatic parental right of men who have fathered children through rape should be removed?

[Lucy Frazer]

I know that the hon. Lady is passionate about this, and I am pleased she has taken up this very important campaign. The Ministry of Justice is looking very closely at it. I have mentioned before that the civil procedure rule committee is looking at the issue she has raised in the past about applications to court. It will have a further meeting at the beginning of May, and I will be very happy to update her on that when the meeting has taken place.

[Karen Lee]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker.