§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has now concluded his discussions with senior police officers about the problems of wives who are subjected to violence.
§ Mr. CarlisleNot yet. A proper examination of these problems is bound to take some time.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now hold an inquiry into allegations that the police have neglected their duty towards wives or children who are victims of domestic violence.
§ Mr. CarlisleI have no reason to believe that the police have neglected their duty in any way, but, as the hon. Member knows, we are in consultation with chief officers of police on this subject generally, and we are fully prepared to look into any cases which appear to the hon. Member to be examples of neglect of duty.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek powers to ensure that police, who are informed of assault on wives or children, are empowered to enter private premises without fear of trespass.
§ Mr. CarlisleMy right hon. Friend believes that existing police powers are already sufficient for this purpose.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average time between charge and trial of a husband accused of assaulting his wife or children.
§ Mr. CarlisleI regret that the information is not available.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to ensure that a husband accused of assaulting his wife or children is prevented from making further contact with them.
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§ Mr. CarlisleIf the alleged assault is sufficiently serious to justify arrest, the police and later the court will take the danger of a repetition into account in deciding whether to grant bail announcing, if so, on what conditions. It would also, in appropriate cases, be open to the wife to apply to the civil courts for an injunction. I do not therefore think fresh legislation would help.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why no figures are kept of the number of battered wives reporting to the police; and if he will seek to arrange that these figures will now be kept.
§ Mr. CarlisleMy right hon. Friend is not at present persuaded that the benefits of collecting and separately recording this information would be sufficient to justify the additional cost in money and police time.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what steps are taken to protect battered wives and children who are taking legal action against violent husbands;
(2) what steps are taken to protect battered wives and children from violent husbands when they have taken refuge outside the home.
§ Mr. CarlisleThe protection of wives and children in such circumstances largely depends on the institution of civil or criminal proceedings against the husband. It is then for the courts to use their powers to protect the complainants and their children in whatever way they consider appropriate. So far as police action is concerned, in our consultations with chief officers of police we shall see whether there is anything more that can usefully be done.