Legislation against Female Genital Mutilation Debate

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Department: Ministry of Justice

Legislation against Female Genital Mutilation

Rebecca Pow Excerpts
Monday 11th February 2019

(5 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lucy Frazer Portrait Lucy Frazer
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I am very pleased to hear of the measures being taken in Scotland, because of course this is not a domestic problem that affects any region in particular but is an international problem. The Home Office is working with all regions to deal with this issue, and I am very pleased that when we brought in the legislation in 2015, we extended the reach of extraterritorial offences to ensure we could help prosecute in relation to cases affecting the UK that were carried out elsewhere.

Rebecca Pow Portrait Rebecca Pow (Taunton Deane) (Con)
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I am pleased to hear the Minister stating that this Government regard dealing with the harms of this awful issue of FGM to be of the utmost importance. We must give a clear message on this, and does the Minister agree that the best way to do that would be by giving time to bring this amendment in this Bill forward as quickly as possible?

Lucy Frazer Portrait Lucy Frazer
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I am happy to confirm to my hon. Friend that the Government think that this is a very important matter. Across the Departments, we think that it is an important matter, and the Chief Whip has indicated that he does, too. We will be bringing forward this Bill in Government time.