Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department plans to take through the Victims, Courts and Public Protection Bill to support victims of domestic abuse.

This Government was elected with a landmark mission to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG) in the next decade. We will use every tool within our power to target perpetrators and address the root causes of abuse and violence, including domestic abuse. In November, we launched Domestic Abuse Protection Orders in selected areas to provide more protection for victims, and early this year we will introduce domestic abuse experts in 999 control rooms. These are just some of the first steps we are taking to tackle VAWG and improve the justice system response to domestic abuse across England and Wales.

Through the upcoming Victims, Courts and Public Protection Bill, we have committed to strengthening the powers of the Victims’ Commissioner to further empower them to hold the system to account when the needs of victims, including victims of domestic abuse, are not being met.