Domestic Violence

Sarah Teather
To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice what funds are available to assist the victims of domestic violence in escaping from abusive situations.

Meg Munn
I have been asked to reply.

Domestic violence is a cross-Government priority led by the Inter-Ministerial Group for Domestic Violence. The group comprises Ministers from nine Government Departments and the three devolved Administrations.

The budgets outlined as follows contribute towards the delivery of the National Delivery Plan for Domestic Violence which focuses on a range of key work objectives from early intervention and prevention through to developing a coordinated community response to tackling domestic violence.

Communities and Local Government provide a part of the funding that assists victims of domestic violence to escape abusive situations,

For 2003-06 a total of £32.1 million capital was invested in refuge provision in England (£15.7 million through the Housing Corporation and £16.4 million from the Homelessness Strategy and Support Directorate in Communities and Local Government). 511 units of accommodation were refurbished or newly built.

In 2005-06, £59 million of Supporting People funding was used to provide housing related support to women at risk of domestic violence.

We continued to fund UKRefugesonline (£100,000 2007-08), a UK wide database of domestic violence services delivered in partnership by Women’s Aid and Refuge which supports the national 24 hour free phone domestic violence helpline.

In addition my Department has allocated £47.2 million to local authorities to help them tackle and prevent homelessness in their area for 2007-08. They may choose to use a proportion of this money to fund Sanctuary Schemes.

Government provide other funding to help support victims of domestic violence. In 2006-07 the Home Office allocated £6 million to tackle domestic violence:

£3 million to support and improve local delivery on domestic violence for victims of domestic violence and their children

£1 million to expand the Specialist Domestic Violence Court Programme

£1 million for Independent Domestic Violence Advisors

£1 million to continue to fund national domestic violence services, for example the matrix of help lines.

In 2007-08 Ministry of Justice/Her Majesty’s Court Service provided a further £3 million for the expansion of the network of Independent Domestic Violence Advisers that support the Specialist Domestic Violence Courts.