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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of working with (a) hotels and (b) hotel groups to provide refuge for victims of domestic violence.

On 2 May, the Government announced an unprecedented £76?million package of support to ensure the most vulnerable in society get the support they need during the pandemic. We have secured £10 million of this package specifically for safe accommodation

The MHCLG COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund for Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation launched on 7 May and will ensure refuge charities can continue to operate, whilst also helping more victims access vital services during the COVID-19 emergency.

Where refuge charities judge hotels and other temporary accommodation to be necessary, safe and appropriate, they can apply to fund such costs through this new £10 million MHCLG fund

Local authorities can now also secure additional rooms for victims through Crown Commercial Services.