To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the funding for women's refuges for each of the last five years and for the current year. [38471]
I have been asked to reply.In 1995–96 the Department is providing, through the Housing Corporation, £2.2 million in capital funding for women's aid projects in England largely to provide refuge places. Comparative figures for earlier years are given in the table. No information is available about revenue funding.
- 1994–95 £4.6 million
- 1993–94 £5.8 million
- 1992–93 £5.4 million
- 1991–92 £5.2 million
- 1990–91 £1.7 million
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many women's refuges there are per region and in the country as a whole; [38469](2) what has been the percentage change in the number of women attending women's refuges in the past five years nationally and in each region. [38466]
I have been asked to reply.The Government do not have information about the number of women's refuges, or the number of women staying in refuges. Some information on the number and locations of refuges is being collected.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to extend the number of women's refuges; and in which regions they will be introduced. [38472]
I have been asked to reply.The provision of women's refuges is best decided by local authorities and other agencies, taking into account such issues as the local supply of housing available for short-term use in emergency situations.