Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to ratify the Council of Europe's Istanbul Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence.

The previous Government signed the Istanbul Convention in June 2012 and this Government remains committed to its ratification.

The UK already complies with the vast majority of the articles through our comprehensive work to protect women and girls from violence, including criminalising forced marriage as required by the Convention. However, primary legislation will be required to comply with the extra-territorial jurisdiction provisions in Article 44 of the Convention before ratification. The Government is liaising with the devolved administrations about ratification, including any further legislative steps necessary.

The Government takes its international commitments very seriously and will only commit to such ratification when we are absolutely satisfied that we comply with all articles. We will continue to lead efforts to tackle violence against women and girls, end Female Genital Mutilation and combat early and forced marriage, both at home and abroad.