Potential lack of funding for plan to prevent violence against women ‘deeply concerning’, says victims’ commissioner – UK politics live | Politics
Good morning. The government is finally publishing its violence against women and girls (VAWG) strategy. Labor said in its manifesto that it wanted to halve the VAWG within ten years, so this was a vital policy area. The publication of the strategy was delayed three times. In the House of Commons on Monday, in response to an urgent question on this issue, Minister for Safety and VAWG Jess Phillips said the delays were down to her. “This was entirely my fault because in each iteration the strategy was not ambitious enough. I could have done it faster and then it wouldn’t have been as good,” he said.
Although the document is being published today, the VAWG strategy is being promoted through a budget-style, week-long media strategy. We had already received announcements from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. extra spending for abuse victims, specialist NHS help for abuse victimsand all police forces are introduced specialist rape and sexual crime teams.
And overnight the government briefed on plans to tackle misogynistic behavior in schools. Alexandra Hill And Rajeev Syal details are here.
Phillips He’s been giving interviews this morning and said these measures are particularly important because while other aspects of the strategy deal with the consequences of VAWG, this aspect deals with prevention. He told Times Radio:
As someone who has been campaigning on this issue for years, I have to say I’m a little sick of trying to put nicer band-aids on ever-growing scars, and that’s why we need to do this – the government is really, really focused on prevention.
So how good is the strategy overall? Claire WaxmanThe new victims’ commissioner for England and Wales issued a statement saying that although the plan included many welcome measures, the potential lack of funding was “deeply concerning”. He says he worries that it will end up “less than the sum of its parts.”
He says:
Ultimately, the success of this strategy depends on whether delivery partners are equipped to succeed. Early indications regarding funding are extremely worrying. The strategy introduces welcome measures in schools and the NHS that, by design, will increase disclosures and referrals to police and victim services. But frontline services are already overstretched and struggling to meet needs, and the criminal justice system remains in crisis.
Financing is critical. Increasing demand without increasing capacity puts victims at risk and threatens to destabilize the partners on which the strategy depends. This concern is compounded by the lack of meaningful consultation. Victim services are not an optional extra to this strategy; These should form the backbone of this.
I am concerned that without clear, sustainable investment and cross-government leadership, we risk the strategy becoming less than the sum of its parts; A wish list of tactical measures rather than a bold, unifying strategic framework.
Here is the agenda of the day.
9.30: The Ministry of Justice publishes the latest figures regarding the backlog of court files.
9.30: Environment Minister Emma Reynolds answers questions in the House of Commons.
11am: Former Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn and Labor MP John McDonnell speak at a press conference organized by relatives and supporters of hunger strikers in Palestine Action.
After 11.30: VAWG minister Jess Phillips told MPs about the government’s plan to tackle violence against women and girls.
Morning: Kemi Badenoch visits east Hampshire.
Afternoon: The Bank of England announced its decision regarding the interest rate decision.
The government is also making announcements through 13 written ministerial statements covering police funding, the cost of the government’s response to the Covid inquiry, Minette Batters’ review of the farm’s profitability and an investigation into conditions at the Manston asylum centre.
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