Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect of recent reductions in spending on specialist domestic violence services on the incidence of domestic violence.

The Government has ring-fenced £40 million of stable funding up to 2015 for specialist local domestic and sexual violence support services.

We are committed to supporting local commissioners to make informed decisions about commissioning domestic violence services and are holding a series of regional events to develop expertise in a competitive commissioning environment.

Latest data indicate the number of those charged and conviction rates for domestic abuse are at their highest ever levels.