§ Margaret MoranTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what revenue funding will be provided to match the capital funding for new refuge provision announced on 11 December 2002. [98010]
§ Mr. McNultyI have been asked to reply.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister announced on 11 December 2002 that it was making available £7 million to the Housing Corporation to increase safe accommodation choices for women and children. This capital funding will be allocated to local authority areas where provision for victims of domestic violence is identified as an unmet need in a homelessness or Supporting People strategy. The Supporting People programme, which will go live on 1 April 2003, will provide revenue funding for housing related support services for vulnerable people, which may include support for victims of domestic violence. In addition, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will be making available £70 million in revenue support for local 409W authorities and voluntary sector organisations in 2003–04 to support their work to tackle and prevent homelessness. These resources can be used to fund support services for victims of domestic violence if this is a priority within a local authority's homelessness strategy.