§ Margaret MoranTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to raise awareness of domestic violence in the criminal justice system, with particular reference to(a) prevention and (b) support for victims. [97758]
§ Mr. DenhamThe Ministerial Group on Domestic Violence has among its priority areas for action, improving the interface between the criminal and civil law; and ensuring a consistent and appropriate response from the police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). Among the steps which are being taken in this are the following
The Solicitor-General has announced the publication of the revised CPS Policy on prosecuting cases of domestic violence, which sets out how the CPS deals with such cases.580WWe will be supporting the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) in wide ranging work on the police response to domestic violence.Policing domestic violence—a modular training programme is a national training product developed by Centrex and issued in November 2002. The programme is intended to provide a structured but flexible approach to the delivery of domestic violence training within the police service.The National Policing Plan requires that police authorities should have effective strategies and procedures in place to respond quickly and effectively to domestic violence incidents. The number of domestic violence incidents as measured by Best Value Performance Indicator 153 is a key performance indicator in the plan. The Prison and National Probation Services agreed a joint strategy for combating domestic violence which was taken to the Correctional Services accreditation panel in September 2002. This committed those Services to working together in this area and sharing resources and knowledge whenever appropriate. The National Probation Service has been running a domestic violence research pathfinder to evaluate the most effective way of working to combat domestic violence since 2000.A consultation paper will be published shortly with further proposals for tackling domestic violence.
§ Margaret MoranTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list new initiatives to tackle domestic violence since 1997; and what their cost was. [97760]
§ Mr. DenhamThe readily available information on new initiatives to tackle domestic violence, and their costs, are as follows.
My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary recently announced a £14 million three-year funding package including help for the 376 Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships across the country to develop practical strategies for dealing with domestic violence at a local level. The Home Office is to fund the appointment of a new co-ordinator's post, based within the Local Government Association, to work with local authorities and police forces to help them deal effectively with domestic violence in their communities.
The Violence against Women (VAW) Initiative part of the Home Office's Crime Reduction Programme (CR13), invested £10.7 million to identify the most effective and cost effective approaches to reducing domestic violence and rape and sexual assault by known perpetrators.
The Ministerial Group on Domestic Violence held its inaugural meeting :in December 2001 and brings together eight Ministers to progress five priority areas for action:
Increasing safe accommodation choices for women and children;Developing early and effective healthcare interventions;Improving the interface between the criminal and civil law;Ensuring a consistent and appropriate response from the police and Crown Prosecution Service;Promoting Education and Awareness Raising.The Department of Health are funding a £48,000 programme to pilot routine antenatal screening for domestic violence.
581WConsultation on the Department of Health's recently published National Women's Mental Health Strategy>:`Women's Mental Health: Into the Mainstream' has just finished (December 2002). One of the themes of the strategy is the need to address violence and abuse as a core mental health issue.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has announced that a new national 24-hour free helpline to help women and children fleeing domestic violence will be set up, in a groundbreaking arrangement with Comic Relief.
The Government will spend a further £7 million to develop new refuges in partnership with local authorities around the country, to ensure better availability of safe accommodation for women and children forced to leave their homes.
Women and Equality Unit has commissioned, for the first time, a review of the economic and social costs of domestic violence.
The Adoption and Children Act makes clear that when a court is considering whether a child has suffered or is likely to suffer harm under the Children Act 1989, this harm includes harm a child may suffer as a result of witnessing the ill-treatment of another person.
The Lord Chancellor's Department have also set up a Domestic Violence Advisory Group to engage with the full range of stakeholders involved in dealing with domestic violence.
The Lord Chancellor's Department has also made significant contribution to the planning and funding of the second Inter-Governmental Conference 'Raising the Standards' held in Cardiff on 21 February 2003, and to the series of six nation-wide events on 'The Particular Challenges of Dealing with Domestic Violence in the Asian Community'.
The Solicitor General has announced the publication of the revised Crown Prosecution Service Policy on prosecuting cases of domestic violence.
`Policing domestic violence—a modular training programme' is a national training product developed by Centrex and issued in November 2002.
582W
Total recorded crime by police force are region: trends since 1997 April 1998 to March 1999 April 1999 to March 2000 Police force are April 1996 to March 1997 Old rules1 New rules2 Old boundaries New boundaries April 2001 to March 2002 Percentage change 1996–97 to 2001–02 (excludes effects of rule and boundary changes)3 England Cleveland 74,694 63,726 67,030 65,185 72,003 -8.4 Durham3 50,592 44,178 50,413 48,796 50,175 -13.1 Northumbria 161,100 132,588 151,298 142,279 139,130 -24,3 Total north east region 286,386 240,492 268,741 256,260 261,308 -18.3 Cheshire 65,114 59,414 65,119 64,528 70,990 -0.5 Cumbria3 38,495 35,171 40,202 37,729 37,324 -15.2 Greater Manchester3 320,668 336,172 362,450 377,086 380,801 10.1 Lancashire3 122,430 105,161 118,085 108,866 137,760 0.2 Merseyside 139,247 130,606 140,874 148,172 150,934 0.5 Total north west region 685,954 666,524 726,730 736,381 777,809 4.0 Humberside 122,721 119,290 130,691 121,442 117,463 -12.6 The National Policing Plan states that police authorities should have effective strategies and procedures in place to respond quickly and effectively to domestic violence incidents.
The Prison and National Probation Services agreed a joint strategy for combating domestic violence which was taken to the Correctional Services accreditation panel in September 2002.
The National Probation Service has been running a domestic violence research pathfinder to evaluate the most effective way of working to combat domestic violence since 2000.
A consultation paper setting out proposals to prevent domestic violence will be published by Spring 2003. The consultation will aim to generate a comprehensive response from the public, voluntary sectors and others, to ensure the widest possible agreement on what needs to be done to prevent and deal with domestic violence. This consultation will also consolidate the initial consultation on domestic violence in the 'white paper Justice for All'.
Additionally the following information and guidance has also been produced since 1997.
583WLiving Without Fear: an integrated approach to tackling violence against women—Home Office and Women and Equality Unit jointly published the policy document in June 1999. This was a practical document setting out what actions were already completed, in hand or planned and giving examples of individual initiatives by statutory and non-statutory agencies.Break the Chain—An information leaflet for domestic violence survivors and those who might be able to help them. Published January 1999.Loves me loves me not—An updated version of Break the Chain leaflet, published in July 2002.Multi-Agency Guidance for Addressing Domestic Violence-Guidance to agencies on dealing with domestic violence published in 2000.Home Office Circular 19/2000—Circular to police, in conjunction with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO).Home Office Circular-Protection from Harassment Act 1997—Issued to Chief Officers of Police and copied to Chief Crown Prosecutors, Probation Boards Association, Magistrates Association issued May 2002.Domestic Violence: a resource manual for health care professionals-Guidance aimed to equip healthcare practitioners with the skills, knowledge and confidence to identify domestic violence and respond appropriately to help break the cycle of repeat victimisation.
Total recorded crime by police force are region: trends since 1997–England April 1998 to March 1999 April 1999 to March 2000 Police force are April 1996 to March 1997 Old rules1 New rules2 Old boundaries New boundaries April 2001 to March 2002 Percentage change 1996–97 to 2001–02 (excludes effects of rule and boundary changes)3 North Yorkshire3 53,639 48,372 55,309 53,554 59,149 -3.61 South Yorkshire 146,660 124,427 133,059 131,700 134,764 -14. West Yorkshire 259,235 246,438 273,809 260,237 298,847 3.8 Total Yorkshire and the Humber region 582,255 538,527 592,868 566,933 610,223 -4.8 Derbyshire 77,320 74,047 84,459 85,650 89,841 1.9 Leicestershire 89,881 81,714 93,397 94,577 88,535 -.13.8 Lincolnshire 47,698 39,718 46,670 46,170 49,797 -.11.2 Northamptonshire 55,003 55,842 65,466 61,240 60,485 -6.2 Nottinghamshire 140,088 123,680 135,255 136,875 159,240 3.9 Total east midlands region 409,990 375,001 425,247 424,512 447,898 -.3.7 Staffordshire3 92,686 84,495 91,919 98,852 117,274 16.3 Warwickshire3 38,229 35,659 38,485 38,593 42,211 2.3 West Mercia3 82,080 69,451 81,782 84,797 102,149 5.7 West Midlands3 305,818 276,512 314,628 364,887 372,257 7.0 Total west midlands region 518,813 466,117 526,814 587,129 633,891 8.1 Bedfordshire 50,969 43,947 49,076 53,607 52,239 -.8.2 Cambridgeshire 67,396 59,678 67,256 68,722 69,559 -8.4 Essex4 99,041 87,147 95,797 102,777 108,305 113,150 -.1.4 Hertfordshire4 52,454 46,255 49,309 52,741 65,015 67,437 -2.2 Norfolk 55,988 51,167 57,129 59,387 58,954 -.5.7 Suffolk3 37,496 34,280 39,908 43,355 50,492 15.7 Total east of England region 363,344 322,474 358,475 380,589 398,391 411,831 -2.6 London, City of 4,754 6,035 7,144 7,775 10,098 79.4 Metropolitan Police2 844,306 767,880 934,254 1,052,047 1,016,742 1,057,360 6.5 Total London region 849,060 773,915 941,398 1,059,822 1,024,517 1,067,458 6.9 Hampshire 133,529 115,008 128,253 135,174 135,961 -.8.7 Kent3 141,781 110,244 129,340 124,918 120,155 -27.8 Surrey4 41,517 36,376 42,467 46,288 63,791 61,970 -7.2 Sussex 118,339 111,468 130,402 136,566 135,110 -2.4 Thames Valley 168,386 161,646 176,477 191,875 196,980 7.2 Total south east region 603,552 534,742 606,939 634,821 652,324 650,176 -7.6 Avon and Somerset3 151,072 131,955 150,089 147,104 178,991 4.2 Devon and Cornwall 101,326 88,484 110,644 110,361 101,425 -20.0 Dorset 48,173 43,903 52,755 52,322 54,951 -5.1 Gloucestershire 52,967 44,000 48,206 50,993 50,467 -13.0 Wiltshire 35,099 32,984 38,189 38,461 38,889 -4.3 Total south west region 388,637 341,326 399,883 399,251 424,723 -6.7 Total England 4,687,991 4,259,118 4,847,095 5,045,698 5,045,698 5,285,317 -0.9 1 'Old rules' denotes the number of crimes that would have been recorded using the coverage and rules in use until 31 March 1998. 2 'New rules' denotes crimes recorded using the expanded offence coverage and revised counting rules which came into effect on 1 April 1998. 3 These forces adopted the principles of the National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS) early, as it was officially introduced across England and Wales on 1 April 2002. This may have increased the number of offences recorded for 2001–02. 4 Forces affected by boundary changes on 1 April 2000.