HC Deb 22 October 2002 vol 391 cc251-2W
Mr. Paul Clark

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what steps her Department is taking to alleviate the problems of victims of domestic violence. [73610]

Ms Rosie Winterton

The Government remain committed to tackling domestic violence.

An Inter-Ministerial Group set up last November is working across Government on five key areas for action. My Department is responsible for leading work on improving the interface between the criminal, civil and family law. We aim to identify ways to make the process less distressing for victims by working with stakeholders and voluntary organisations at local and national level to develop a more integrated approach that tackles the impacts of domestic violence as part of the justice process.

Mr. David Lepper

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what support her Department offers to voluntary organisations giving assistance to victims of domestic violence. [73611]

Ms Rosie Winterton

We work very closely with local and national organisations which support victims of domestic violence. I recently set up a new Advisory Group to help the Department to develop further its domestic violence policy and to understand better issues that concern survivors of domestic violence and those who support and represent them. We also work closely with a number of local initiatives, such as the Leeds Cluster Court Project and "Standing Together", offering advice and support and providing a link to the other Government Departments involved, such as the Home Office and the CPS.