Found: Payments) Act 2022 oAnimal Welfare (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023 oChild Support Collection (Domestic

Found: were five police on show, spending hours in the town centre and being available to chat about domestic

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people will be released early from prison due to overcapacity in Kent in September 2024; and how many units of accommodation are available for those people.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

As the allocation process is still in progress, the total number of individuals in Kent to be released from custody at 40% of their standard determinate sentence is not yet known. It is also therefore not possible to ascertain how many units of accommodation would be needed.

Certain offences have been excluded from the SDS change. This includes sex offences irrespective of sentence length; serious violent offences with a sentence of four years or more; specified offences linked to domestic abuse irrespective of sentence length (including stalking, coercive or controlling behaviour and non-fatal strangulation); as well as offences concerning national security. The change will also not apply to sentences subject to release at the discretion of the Parole Board, or to offences which currently attract automatic release from a standard determinate sentence at the two-thirds point (certain serious sexual and violent offences).

Once released, offenders will be subject to the same set of strict license conditions that would have applied had they been released at a 50% automatic release point. They will be liable to recall to prison if they do not comply with these conditions, or are judged to be a risk to public safety.

Any who are at risk of being homeless upon release can be referred to H M Prison & Probation Service’s Community Accommodation Service, which can provide up to 12 weeks’ temporary accommodation, and we are working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to mitigate any impact on local authorities, as well as taking practical steps to minimise the chances that individuals are released homeless.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate she has made of the number of people jailed for violent disorder offences this summer who will be released after serving 40% of their sentence.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The change to the automatic release point for eligible Standard Determinate Sentences (SDS40) is an ongoing change the Government was forced to introduce. We cannot predict who will enter custody or the sentences they will receive from the independent judiciary. Sentencing is complex and so factors including concurrent/consecutive sentences, sentence lengths, and particular offences will determine how long each offender spends in custody.

Certain offences have also been excluded from the SDS change. This includes sex offences irrespective of sentence length; serious violent offences with a sentence of four years or more; specified offences linked to domestic abuse irrespective of sentence length (including stalking, coercive or controlling behaviour and non-fatal strangulation); as well as offences concerning national security. The change will also not apply to sentences subject to release at the discretion of the Parole Board or to offences which currently attract automatic release from an SDS at the two-thirds point (certain serious sexual and violent offences).

Estimating the number of people jailed for violent disorder offences this summer who will be released after serving 40% of their sentence would therefore not be possible due to the complexities of sentencing which is ongoing.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will undertake a review of the Child Maintenance Service.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

A consultation on proposed reforms to the CMS was published by the previous Government on 8 May 2024. The consultation includes exploration of removing Direct Pay and managing all CMS cases in one service to allow the CMS to tackle non-compliance faster. The consultation also explores how victims and survivors of domestic abuse can be better supported.

The Government extended the consultation to the 30 September 2024 to ensure full stakeholder engagement can take place, we will then consider the next steps for CMS.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department will take to help protect victims of domestic abuse who have joint tenancies in social housing.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government is committed to ensuring that, where appropriate, barriers preventing vulnerable groups in need from accessing social housing are removed. We will continue to work with stakeholders to support victims of domestic abuse to access social housing, including those who have joint tenancies.

Local housing authorities can adopt local connections tests to determine who qualifies for an allocation of social housing and manage demand within their area. Statutory social housing allocations guidance is clear that local authorities have the power to exempt victims of domestic abuse from any such test. This includes those living in a refuge or other forms of safe temporary accommodation in their district having escaped domestic abuse in another local authority area.

Guidance also encourages local authorities to give priority for social housing to victims and their families who have escaped abuse and are being accommodated in a refuge or temporary accommodation under the reasonable preference (priority) categories. Further, allocations guidance encourages local authorities to give additional preference (high priority) to people who are homeless and require urgent rehousing due to domestic abuse.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department plans to take to ensure that local authorities do not apply local connection tests to victims of domestic abuse.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government is committed to ensuring that, where appropriate, barriers preventing vulnerable groups in need from accessing social housing are removed. We will continue to work with stakeholders to support victims of domestic abuse to access social housing, including those who have joint tenancies.

Local housing authorities can adopt local connections tests to determine who qualifies for an allocation of social housing and manage demand within their area. Statutory social housing allocations guidance is clear that local authorities have the power to exempt victims of domestic abuse from any such test. This includes those living in a refuge or other forms of safe temporary accommodation in their district having escaped domestic abuse in another local authority area.

Guidance also encourages local authorities to give priority for social housing to victims and their families who have escaped abuse and are being accommodated in a refuge or temporary accommodation under the reasonable preference (priority) categories. Further, allocations guidance encourages local authorities to give additional preference (high priority) to people who are homeless and require urgent rehousing due to domestic abuse.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the presumption of contact at the Family Court does not result in unsafe contact arrangements.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The welfare of a child must be the court’s paramount consideration when making decisions about a child’s life. This is known as the welfare principle. Prior to the application of the presumption of parental involvement, the court is legally obliged to assess if a parent poses a risk of harm to the child - if their involvement would pose a risk to the child, the presumption does not apply.

The Ministry of Justice has undertaken evidence gathering on the presumption of parental involvement, focused on its application in the family court. We will publish the evidence and proposed next steps in due course.

As part of our commitment to ensuring the justice system is designed to put victims and survivors first, including those who have experienced domestic abuse, we are carefully considering the next steps for supporting victims and survivors across the justice system, including in the family court. We are working across departments to ensure that victims and survivors are supported and that children are kept safe.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners usually resident in Mid Leicestershire constituency are eligible for early release.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The change to the Standard Determinate Sentence release point was the only option to prevent the imminent collapse of the Criminal Justice System and ensure we protect the public.

The amended release point is applicable to eligible sentences only. Certain offences have been excluded from this change. This includes sex offences irrespective of sentence length; serious violent offences with a sentence of four years or more; specified offences linked to domestic abuse irrespective of sentence length (including stalking, coercive or controlling behaviour and non-fatal strangulation); as well as offences concerning national security. The change will also not apply to sentences subject to release at the discretion of the Parole Board or to offences which currently attract automatic release from an SDS at the two-thirds point (certain serious sexual and violent offences).

Some offenders will have a mixture of eligible and ineligible offences. Whether an offender is released early or not depends on their other sentences, and how they were imposed by the court to be served consecutively or concurrently.

The number of revised releases for those currently in custody are being recalculated to ensure probation and prison staff have time to prepare proper plans for their release. This data is being provided at local authority level to align with service provider boundaries, and therefore is not being provided at a constituency level.

Found: Domestic abuse • The Home office will continue to collect and collate data on victim suicides and explore

Found: illegal/immoral purposes, or has been convicted of an indictable offence in the locality. 14A Domestic

Found: Legal Aid Legal aid is available for asylum cases, for victims of domestic abuse and modern slavery

Found: Changes to Appendix Victim of Domestic

Found: Page 66 of 75 Changes to Appendix Victim of Domestic Abuse APP VDA1.

Found: There are established processes for conducting domestic abuse enquiries with the police domestic abuse

Found: Deliver pathfinder s to improve pre-sentence advice , including national agreements for timely domestic

Found: abuse, and faced with a spouse who had greater financial means.

Found: Interviewees from one force raised this issue in the context of men who have committed domestic abuse

Found: probation training that you could on your own apply to young adults specifically about safeguarding and domestic

Found: We’ve created a Domestic Abuse / Violence toolkit offering guidance to support our line managers, which

Found: years or more terrorist offences offences relating to national security many offences connected to domestic

Found: Judges • Council of HM District Judges (magistrates’ courts) • Designated Family Justices • Domestic

Found: Joint targeted area inspections to focus on domestic abuse

Found: forced marriage, and women accus ed of committing adultery or having pre -marital relations. 1.2.2 Domestic

Found: There is a helpline for women dealing wit h domestic abuse, with assistance available in Kurdish and

Found: years or more terrorist offences offences relating to national security many offences connected to domestic

Found: Deliver pathfinder s to improve pre-sentence advice , including national agreements for timely domestic

Found: There are established processes for conducting domestic abuse enquiries with the police domestic abuse

Found: „Developed new domestic abuse guidance: Raising awareness of the issue of domestic abuse whilst providing

Found: These crimes include domestic abuse , sexual violence, stalking and female genital mutilation .

Found: Verbal abuse Household domestic abuse Physical abuse Adverse Childhood Experience s (ACEs) Asked

Found: • Scotland's Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline 0800 027 1234 (24 hour service) Provides

Found: . • MAV will continue to train taxi drivers to spot the signs and dangers of domestic abuse, rape or

Found: This dreadful and tragic case reminds us of the need to do more to tackle domestic abuse and domestic

Found: Domestic Abuse Leavers Fund- Scottish Women’s Aid: FOI Review

Found: Domestic Abuse Leavers Fund- Scottish Women’s Aid: FOI Review

Found: don't receive student support o Invest further £5m this year to support frontline orgs which tackle domestic

Found: commission  Voices unheard youth commission –peer -led research on LGBT young people’s experiences of domestic

Found: It includes children (as in Scotland, this is those under 18) who are victims of sexual abuse , domestic

Found: affiliated Woman's Aid network to deal with increased demand for support from women and children affected by domestic

Found: social care needs experienced by children and their families due to experiences of substance use, domestic

Found: Jubilee House is a domestic abuse charity in Paisley's West End.

Found: Discussions within the Scottish Government regarding Domestic Abuse Register: FOI release

Found: Discussions within the Scottish Government regarding Domestic Abuse Register: FOI release

Found: Discussions within the Scottish Government regarding Domestic Abuse Register: FOI release

Found: Discussions within the Scottish Government regarding Domestic Abuse Register: FOI release

Found: Repeat offences of domestic abuse in Scotland: FOI release

Found: Repeat offences of domestic abuse in Scotland: FOI release

Found: children experiencing disadvantages, particularly problem alcohol or drug use amongst family members, domestic

Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to create a permanent national "fund to leave" for women experiencing domestic abuse.

Answered by McLennan, Paul - Minister for Housing

The Scottish Government received the final evaluation of the fund to leave pilot from Scottish Women’s Aid in August. This has fed into a wider assessment of the pilot looking at how it delivered against its objectives; how it improved outcomes for women and/or prevented their homelessness; and what lessons were learned during the pilot. The assessment is nearing completion and we will then be in a position to set out next steps.

Found: child .xliv Accordingly , the situation where one parent is abusing (or has abused) the other , that is,domestic

Found: when making court orders.ivThe policy aim of this change was to better protect families af fected by domestic