HC Deb 17 July 2003 vol 409 cc141-3WH 2.30 pm
2. Mr. David Kidney (Stafford)

What public funding is available to support the provision of refuge accommodation for those fleeing domestic violence. [125464]

9. Mrs. Helen Clark (Peterborough)

What support the Government give to women's refuges. [125472]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (Yvette Cooper)

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is investing £8.9 million capital funding and the Housing Corporation is providing a further £9.9 million capital funding from within its budget for refuge accommodation. In addition, support for women in refuges and other accommodation in respect of circumstances of domestic violence is also supported through the supporting people programme. This year, that stands at £34 million.

Mr. Kidney

Does the Minister agree that the providers of refuges, such as Women's Aid, do sterling work in providing places of safety for those escaping from violence? Does she accept that they do more than just provide a roof over people's heads, but give help in identifying legal advice, careers advice and child care? In developing the Government's policy for vulnerable children, does she agree with me and the Women's Aid branch in Stafford about the need for more specialist services for children, especially black and ethnic minority children who witness or suffer domestic violence themselves?

Yvette Cooper

My hon. Friend is right. Support for children must be a priority. Women's refuges throughout the country do an immense amount of excellent work, usually in conjunction with local authorities and specialist services. Considerable help is already provided. The supporting people programme can be used in some circumstances to provide for child care support, too. My hon. Friend is right to identify specialist support, especially for the black and ethnic minority community. We have identified that in the consultation paper as an area where we want feedback because we need to know especially about the level of unmet need throughout the country and what further needs to be done. Investment in refuge places has increased substantially over the past few years, but we must know what further provision is necessary.

Mr. Philip Hammond (Runnymede and Weybridge)

I invite the Minister to look at the provision of refuge accommodation within the wider context of social housing. Does she agree that there is a danger that, if there is no adequate availability of social housing for people to move to and begin their lives over again, creating additional refuge places will not begin to solve the problem? Given that the number of households that live in bed-and-breakfast accommodation has tripled since 1997 and the average number of social housing units completed has fallen by a third over the same period, how do the Government—looking at a joined-up approach throughout all areas of housing provision—intend to ensure not only that there is an adequate number of refuge places, but that there is adequate availability of housing for people to move to from refuges and to rebuild their lives?

Yvette Cooper

For many families suffering from domestic violence, refuge accommodation is not the appropriate response. Some can stay in their own home with appropriate support; others need different accommodation. We have substantially increased investment in refuge accommodation—capital investment for this financial year is £18.8 million compared with £2.8 million in 1997—and the number of refuge places has increased. It is right that we should ensure that there is appropriate accommodation, which is why for the first time each local authority must set out a homelessness strategy and examine the unmet need in its area and all the different types of housing need that must be met. That is also why we have set bed-and breakfast accommodation targets, on which we are making significant progress. We need to reduce the number of families in such accommodation.

Several hon. Members

rose—

Mr. Deputy Speaker

Order. Although the Minister did not say so, I understood that she was replying also to Question 9, in which case, I call Mrs. Helen Clark.

Mrs. Clark

I welcome the answers that the Minister has given to date. I speak as the MP for Peterborough and our refuge needs more money because we have the highest level of domestic violence in Cambridgeshire—29.1 per cent. of all crimes of domestic violence that are logged. Workers at the Peterborough women's centre believe that refuges are not the only solution. Many women do not want to flee their homes. Why should they? An integrated approach is best—one that involves police, social services and women's aid agencies, as well as women's centres such as the excellent one that we have in Peterborough. Do the Government have plans to progress with such an approach?

Yvette Cooper

My hon. Friend is right to say that the most effective programmes to support women and families in such situations involve different agencies and examine a wide range of options for families. Interestingly, in Harrow work has been done to help families stay in their own homes by improving security and support for them in their homes, where that is an option. Many people would prefer that option to feeling that they have been turfed out of their homes by domestic violence. My hon. Friend is right to say that a wide range of options needs to be explored in every case, and I commend the work to that effect that is being done in Peterborough.

Mr. Hammond

The Minister referred to bed-and-breakfast accommodation, and said that sometimes it is unsuitable for people in this predicament. The Government recognise that about 15 per cent. of all homelessness is caused by domestic violence. Against that benchmark, can the Minister tell the House what percentage of people in bed-and-breakfast accommodation are there as a result of domestic violence?

Yvette Cooper

I do not have those figures to hand, but I will be happy to write to the hon. Gentleman about that.

The Minister for Children (Margaret Hodge)

It may help if I add to the spirit of this cross-ministerial response. Of those households that have been accepted as homeless and in priority need, only 15 per cent. were placed in refuges; 30 per cent. were placed in council or housing association properties; and 25 per cent. decided to stay with friends or relatives. Refuges are important, but there can be more suitable accommodation for some individuals and their families.