Violence against Women and Girls Strategy

Baroness Morgan of Cotes Excerpts

Wednesday 17th December 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)]

I 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.

[Baroness Morgan of Cotes (Non-Afl)]

My Lords, surely that fact that the strategy is being announced on the last sitting day—

[Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Con)]

My Lords, Claudia Lawrence was murdered over 15 years ago, and her body has never been found. What comfort can the strategy bring to her mother, who has to spend yet another Christmas not knowing where her daughter lies?

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)]

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.

[Baroness Morgan of Cotes (Non-Afl)]

My Lords—

[Lord Hussain (LD)]

My Lords, violence against women includes forced marriages, and while the statistics show that this problem is being reduced day by day, one such incident is one too many. According to government statistics, 283 cases were reported in 2023. What are the Government doing to eradicate this problem through education? It is mostly parents and elders who are involved in educating people to stop this practice.