(2 days, 13 hours ago)
Lords ChamberI cannot comment today on the funding aspect—that will become clear over time—but let me assure the noble Baroness that the issue of domestic violence in minority ethnic groups is key. Measures will be announced in the strategy on honour-based violence, female genital mutilation and support for organisations, in order to help, in a political sense, deal with the issue she has raised.
My Lords, surely that fact that the strategy is being announced on the last sitting day—
If the noble Baroness, Lady McIntosh of Pickering, will forgive me, I did not catch the first part of her question because of the competing noises. If she is saying that an individual is missing and is asking what help the state can give in trying to find them, if she puts the details in a letter to me, I will make sure that we give her a full response and put that into the system. I apologise for not hearing the start of her question, because of competing demands.
(6 years, 2 months ago)
Commons ChamberMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. I can give him that reassurance. Access to art, drama, sport, and other creative and cultural activities is an absolute right and entitlement for young people. I am delighted and excited to find that this Department is responsible for youth policy outside of school hours. I hope that my hon. Friend will encourage organisations in his constituency to put in bids for this funding when details are announced.
(9 years, 11 months ago)
Commons ChamberI entirely agree with the hon. Gentleman. This is an offence of which people are more aware, but, sadly, that means that there are more cases of it, which is why we have criminalised it and established a helpline to offer support. However, we must go further and make it clear that this is not an acceptable way for people to behave. We must also give guidance to potential victims, advising them to think very carefully about images that they share and how they could then be abused.
6. What progress the Government are making on negotiating the removal of VAT on women’s sanitary products.
(11 years, 10 months ago)
Commons ChamberAs I mentioned before, very strict criteria were laid down by the EU. The scheme was brought in by this Government, not by the last Government, to help rural areas. My hon. Friend might like to consider campaigning for the postcodes to be changed.
Rural north Wales has the highest petrol prices in the United Kingdom but is not included in the rural discount. Is that because we made the mistake of not electing a single Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament?
The right hon. Gentleman seems to have forgotten that if the last Labour Government had continued in office prices would have been even higher, because it is this Government who reduced fuel duty.