Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Home Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Marsha De Cordova Excerpts
Monday 25th November 2024

(1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Yvette Cooper Portrait Yvette Cooper
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I have to tell the hon. Member that unfortunately the previous Government cut asylum decision making by 75% in the run-up to the election, and they took away caseworkers. That is why the backlog was soaring. We have now put caseworkers back in place so that we can start clearing the backlog, because asylum hotels are costing the taxpayer huge amounts of money.

Marsha De Cordova Portrait Marsha De Cordova (Battersea) (Lab)
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Disabled women are almost three times more likely to experience domestic abuse and almost twice as likely to report sexual violence. Does the Minister agree that it is important for not only her Department but the police to work with disabled women-led organisations to understand the intersection with gender-based violence and the double whammy that affects disabled women?

Jess Phillips Portrait Jess Phillips
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My hon. Friend is absolutely right. I pay tribute to Stay Safe East, one of very few specialist disability and domestic abuse charities. Without “by and for” services, we simply would not be serving most of the women in our country who need support.