Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to create a national system for funding domestic violence refuges.

We recognise that refuge provision is critical to the safety of victims of domestic abuse and their families.

In our Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, Government committed to review the locally led approach to refuge provision two years after the launch of our £20 million fund for safe accommodation and local service reform. This review will cover funding for refuges, including the critical care and support costs, and will take place by November 2018. We are continuing to explore all options for future delivery of refuge services, including a national model for refuges. We are committed to working closely with our sector partners, drawing on their expertise and knowledge.

My Department has launched a tender for an audit of local authority commissioning of domestic abuse services, including refuge, which will inform our review.