Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that referral services for women and girls impacted by violence and abuse will be evidence-based.

As part of the cross-Government Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, the Department has committed to roll-out a domestic abuse and sexual violence referral service, “Steps to Safety” across all integrated care boards by 2029.

This will ensure that all clinical and non-clinical staff in general practices in every area of England can connect victims and survivors with specialist services. The programme builds on innovative, evidence-based approaches already operating in England, and will include evaluation of the services in order to continue building a strong evidence base for what works to support victims and survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence.