§ Ms. Richardsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether Her Majesty's Government plan to collect national statistics on domestic violence;
(2) what was (a) the number of reported incidents of domestic violence and (b) the percentage of incidents which resulted in prosecutions for each year from 1976.
515W
§ Mr. MellorThe information requested is not collected. Statistics of offences of violence between spouses recorded by the police in 1979 and 1980 were published in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales 1980" (Cmnd. 8376, table 2.5). The recording of these offences was then discontinued as it was incomplete, of doubtful reliability and did not justify the cost. We have no further plans to attempt to collect national statistics on domestic violence
§ Ms. Richardsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Government have any plans to introduce a system whereby injunctions awarded by courts for cases of domestic violence are centralised so as to be available to all police stations immediately.
§ Mr. Giles ShawWe are considering with the Association of Chief Police Officers the recommendations of the Women's National Commission's report on violence against women, which concerns domestic violence. This includes the enforcement of injunctions. There is no formal means for informing the police of the existence of injunctions, and it is advisable for a person who has obtained one to bring it to the attention of the local police. This is a speedy way of making the police aware of injunctions applying in their area and, as most injunctions are likely to be of local effect, a central record is unlikely to prove helpful.