§ 4. Bob Russell (Colchester)What (a) financial and (b) other assistance is given to national umbrella organisations representing rape crisis helpline groups which deal with victims of domestic violence. [125466]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Paul Goggins)Since April 2001, the Home Office has been providing core funding to the Rape Crisis Federation. The grant to the RCF in 2002–03 was £432,000 and we plan to offer a similar level of funding during 2003–04. Home Office officials regularly meet RCF representatives to discuss that organisation's work.
§ Bob RussellI thank the Minister for that positive response and I hope that we can build on it. I am sure that he is aware that the Rape Crisis Federation Wales and England is struggling with funding for setting up a national database for local rape crisis centres to collate figures of sexual violence—which, sadly, is committed in the family environment as well as by strangers.
I understand that an application for funding was recently made to the Home Office because a number of centres around the country are closing as a result of a lack of funding. We need to realise that these centres have not only a voluntary aspect, but paid professional staff, too. I should like to place on the record the excellent work of the Colchester rape crisis line. We need the centres around the country to assist the increasing numbers of households where domestic violence is taking place. In the last 24 hours it has been announced that, in the past year, the number of recorded rapes has gone up by 27 per cent.
§ Paul GogginsIt is true that the grant made to the Rape Crisis Federation is intended to help it to provide 144WH core national services; they may or may not include the kind of database referred to by the hon. Gentleman. Finding funding for the 43 local rape crisis centres is something that the Government view as a local responsibility. Two or three of the centres have difficulties at the moment. We are working with the Department of Health to ensure that, wherever possible, local rape crisis centres can discuss with the local primary care trusts how funding might be gained from the primary care trusts. The work of local rape crisis centres and helplines is absolutely essential in providing a local access point and local support. It is critical that those centres should be able to continue their important work.