[holding answer 16 June 2008]: We do not monitor whether local authorities have established strategies on tackling the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM). However, the Home Office is currently sponsoring a series of regional seminars/road shows, designed to engage with a wide range of professionals and communities to raise awareness of the problem of honour based violence, which includes tackling the practice of FGM. The aim of these forums is to enable local partnerships to develop strategies to identify and protect vulnerable victims for honour based violence.
As part of our commitment to address FGM we are engaging with a number of third sector agencies that work within the support and research sector of this field.
We will soon set up a national Black and Minority Ethnic working group of Government, statutory agencies and the third sector that will promote a partnership approach to a range of issues including FGM. It is envisaged that the group will identify and develop actions and practical tools to assist victims and potential victims.