HC Deb 23 March 2000 vol 346 cc684-5W
Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to ensure that perpetrators of domestic violence are successfully prosecuted and punished. [115611]

Mr. Boateng

Earlier this month, we launched new Multi-Agency Guidance for Addressing Domestic Violence. This sets out considerations to be borne in mind by agencies across the criminal justice system, and in local authorities and the health service, to ensure that domestic violence is tackled effectively and that appropriate services are provided to its survivors. The guidance also gives good practice examples and advice on partnership working. We shall be supplementing it shortly by specific guidance to the police.

The violence against women initiative within the Crime Reduction Programme invites bids for the funding of projects to address domestic violence, and these will be monitored and evaluated to see what is effective and cost-effective.

Information on all the Government's initiatives to tackle violence is available via our website: http://www.gov.uk/domesticviolence/index/htm.