Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the document entitled Freedom from violence and abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls, published on 18 December 2025, when will the new national commissioning statement be published.

In the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy, we committed to reform how victims’ services are commissioned to ensure that support is consistent, delivers what victims and survivors need, and is fit for purpose. To support this transformation, we will deliver a new national commissioning statement to replace the current National Statement of Expectations and VAWG Commissioning Toolkit. This statement will provide clear definitions of ‘by-and-for’ and specialist services, helping commissioners allocate funding more effectively.

The Police Reform White Paper, published on 26 January 2026, set out plans to abolish the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) model in May 2028 and transfer responsibility for policing governance to either Mayors or elected council leaders via Policing and Crime Boards.

Following its publication, the Home Office is working closely with the Ministry of Justice on how victims commissioning, compliance with the Victims’ Code, and the upcoming Duty to Collaborate will operate under the new arrangements. We remain focused on ensuring victims’ services and interests are protected, if not enhanced, by our changes. We have already engaged with the VAWG sector on PCC reform, and we will start work on the commissioning statement in the autumn - ensuring it reflects and supports the reformed system.