Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many cases in the family courts involved domestic violence in each year from 2010 to 2016.

The information requested is not held centrally.

We are determined to improve the family justice response to vulnerable witnesses and victims of domestic abuse in particular. Family judges have a range of powers to make sure difficult courtroom situations are handled sensitively for vulnerable witnesses and we continue to work with the judiciary to consider what additional protections may be necessary.

We are particularly concerned about the fact that unrepresented alleged perpetrators of abuse can directly cross-examine their alleged victims in family proceedings. The Lord Chancellor is urgently considering how to put an end to this practice.