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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with the Minister for Women and Equalities on improving access to women's refuges.

The Department has been working closely with colleagues in other Government Departments, including the Government Equalities Office, to prepare for the implementation of the new duty.

Many local areas already provide services that ensure victims have somewhere safe to go. To support these services further we have introduced a new statutory duty on local authorities within the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 to ensure that all victims, including children, have access to safety and support within safe accommodation when they need it.