To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what action she is taking to ensure a more integrated and strategic approach to tackling domestic violence. (106311)

The Government have developed an integrated and strategic approach to this issue, at the heart of which is the Inter-Ministerial Group on Domestic Violence, of which I am a member.

As an Inter-Ministerial Group, which brings together a wide range of Departments, we provide high-level leadership and accountability to drive this important work forward, and oversee the development of the National Delivery Plan, which has provided a clear framework for delivery across Government in a joined-up and strategic way.

The Plan underpins the Specialist Domestic Violence Court Programme, which has been designed to address the high attrition rates for domestic violence by bringing more offenders to justice, and putting the safety of victims at the heart of the process. We have also strengthened measures to help victims by rolling out Independent Domestic Violence Advisers across all specialist domestic violence courts and have allocated funding to all areas to provide extra support.

To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what discussions she has had with ministerial colleagues on improving the services offered to women seeking refuge from domestic violence. (106313)

As Minister for Women and Equality, I sit on the Inter-Ministerial Group for Domestic Violence, which performance-manages the cross-Government National Domestic Violence Delivery Plan by reviewing progress at quarterly meetings. This is the mechanism for improving the services offered to women seeking refuge from domestic violence nationally.

A substantially revised domestic violence Best Value Performance Indicator for local authorities will help assess overall provision and effectiveness of local authority services designed to help victims of domestic violence.