§ Lorna FitzsimonsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to bring forward proposals for a new legal definition of domestic violence. [90110]
§ Mr. BoatengThere is currently no legal definition of domestic violence, since domestic violence is not a specific offence. The Government have no plans to change this situation.
Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary recently introduced a new definition for use by police forces in their returns of incidents reported. This is purely for the purposes of national statistics, to ensure that data obtained are more precise, consistent and comparable. It is not designed to change operational practice or to prevent police forces or other agencies from using other definitions if they consider that helpful locally.