Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of the number of women working as prostitutes in each of the last five years.
The Government is committed to protecting those selling sex from harm and enabling the police to target those who exploit vulnerable people involved in prostitution.
Protecting those involved in prostitution is a strand of our strategy to end violence against women and girls, and we regularly meet with charities, welfare organisations and academics to discuss current issues related to prostitution and sex work.
As set out in our response to the Home Affairs Select Committee report into prostitution, the Government recognises the strong arguments for commissioning a research project into the prevalence and nature of prostitution in England and Wales. Indeed, we believe that such an evidence base is vital prior to considering further changes to policy and legislation.
The Home Office has subsequently provided £150,000 to fund this research, which will be carried out by the University of Bristol. Further information can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/home-office-funds-university-of-bristol-research-into-prostitution
The Government has also provided £389,000 from the Tampon Tax to organisations which help those who want to leave prostitution and sex work, and £650,000 from the Violence Against Women and Girls Service Transformation Fund to Merseyside PCC, to provide a victim-focused service for sex workers who are victims, or at risk of sexual or domestic violence and abuse, exploitation or human trafficking.