Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Sarah Jones and Lorraine Beavers(3 weeks, 1 day ago)
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The Minister for Policing and Crime (Sarah Jones)
May I associate myself and my colleagues with your remarks about Ann Widdecombe, Mr Speaker? Ann was a Minister when I was doing my politics A-level, and she has been a firm part of our political life for the past three decades. May she rest in peace.
We are rolling out domestic abuse protection orders across England and Wales, and have trebled the number of forces with domestic abuse specialists in control rooms under Raneem’s law. We have established the national centre for violence against women and girls and public protection to transform the response to VAWG.
Lorraine Beavers
Kiena Dawes was pushed into taking her own life by her abusive partner. Before she died, she said that he had killed her. With domestic abuse-related suicides on the rise and women in abusive relationships being more likely to take their own life than to be killed by their abuser, will the Minister commit to the Home Office working with victims and campaigners to ensure that the law fully reflects the role that domestic abuse plays in the deaths of people like Kiena?
Sarah Jones
I thank my hon. Friend for raising such an important issue, and the answer, of course, is yes. We are funding research with all police forces to better capture information and inform our response. The Law Commission is reviewing homicide law, including the use of manslaughter offences where abuse may have driven someone to suicide. The former Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham Yardley (Jess Phillips), was working hard on this issue, and I know that the new Minister will be too.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Sarah Jones and Lorraine Beavers(1 year, 7 months ago)
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Sarah Jones
My hon. Friend is a great champion for her area, and we have talked about the opportunities of Falmouth and the surrounding areas previously, and I am sure we will do so again. For too long, our coastal areas have lacked the jobs and opportunities they deserve, and we are determined to change that. Through the national wealth fund we will invest in our ports, and Great British Energy will look to crowd in private sector funding to emerging technologies such as floating offshore wind. We are developing our strategies and working as fast as we can.
Lorraine Beavers
I welcome the Government’s publication of the “Clean Power 2030 Action Plan” last week. It will mark a transformative shift towards clean energy that will bring good jobs and industry to the whole country. The plan proposes the use of the national wealth fund to explore nascent renewable generation projects. The Minister will know of the potential for tidal range on the west coast. What steps is the Department taking to explore that potential? Will she meet me to discuss the potential for tidal range projects in my constituency?
Sarah Jones
I would love to hear more, as I am sure would the Minister for Energy, my hon. Friend the Member for Rutherglen (Michael Shanks). We are committed to all forms of renewable energy if they are economical, which is why we ringfenced tidal in the latest contracts for difference auction, which resulted in six tidal projects being successful, securing up to 28 MW. We continue to look at what more we can do to support this more nascent technology, including the role that GB Energy can play in the future.