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Battered Women (Refuges)

Volume 32: debated on Wednesday 17 November 1982

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asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money local authorities have provided for women's refuges in each year since 1979; and what is the number and nature of authorities that have provided such money.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the authorities which had requested urban aid for women's refuges in each year since 1979; which requests were successful; and whether they are sponsored by authorities with responsibility for social services, housing or both.

The information requested for 1982–83 is set out in the following table. Equivalent information for earlier years cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost.

Authority

Project

Application Successful?

Type of Authority

EalingActon Women's Aid RefugeYesLondon Borough
Great GrimsbyWomen's Crisis CentreYesShire District
Greater London CouncilWomen's Aid Refuge (Hackney)YesGLC
HackneyWomen's Aid RefugeYesLondon Borough
HaltonHostel for Battered WivesYesShire District
HaringeyWomen's Aid RefugeYesLondon Borough
HaveringRefuge for Battered WomenYesLondon Borough
High PeakGlossop Women's Aid RefugeYesShire District
KirkleesHuddersfield Women's Aid RefugeNoMetropolitan District
LewishamWomen's Aid RefugeYesLondon Borough
MertonWomen's Aid RefugeYesLondon Borough
NorthamptonWomen's Aid RefugeYesShire District
Nene Valley Christian Family RefugeYesShire District
NorwichLeeway Norwich Women's RefugeYesShire District
OxfordshireOxfordshire Women's Aid RefugeYesShire County
ReadingSahara (Asian Women's Refuge)NoShire County
St. HelensWomen's Aid RefugeNoMetropolitan District
SloughWomen's Aid RefugeYesShire District
SouthamptonWomen's Aid RefugeYesShire District
WakefieldHostel for Battered WivesYesMetropolitan District
Waltham ForestRefuge for Battered WomenYesLondon Borough
WatfordWomen's RefugeYesShire District

* Includes applications for grant aid for women's refuges and hostels for battered wives.

London Boroughs and Metropolitan Districts have responsibility for social services and housing. The Greater London Council has certain strategic housing responsibilities. Shire districts have responsibilities for housing while shire counties are responsible for social services.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the total amount of money given in urban aid for women's refuges in each year since 1979 and the number and nature of authorities that have received it.

The information requested for 1982–83 is given in the following table. Figures for earlier years cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost.

Urban Programme Expenditure on Women's Refuges in 1982–83*
No. of AuthoritiesNo of ProjectsTotal Value (£000s)
Partnership Authorities814312
Programme Authorities1120268
Traditional Urban Programme Authorities64651,114
Total83991,694

* Includes new and committed expenditure on projects described as women's refuges and hostels for battered wives.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what encouragement he has given to local authorities to provide refuges for battered women who would be homeless if they left their battering husbands.

Funds from the Department's urban aid programme already provide assistance through local authorities to some voluntary groups operating refuges in major towns.Local authorities are also free to use the resources available to them through the housing investment programme to make such provision for battered women in their areas as they consider necessary.Authorities' duties towards those who are homeless are laid down in the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977, and include the securing of accomodation for those in priority need. The definition of a homeless person extends to a woman excluded from her home by the risk of domestic violence. The code of guidance, to which local authorities are required to have regard, asks authorities to treat all homeless battered women as being in priority need under the Act.