Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department plans to fund therapy services for child victims of sexual abuse who are aged under 13.

On 25 April, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse published its Interim Report. The Report contains a series of recommendations for specific changes, several of which are directed at Government. The Government welcomes the Report and is now considering the Inquiry’s recommendations very carefully. The Government will respond fully in due course.

The Government’s Tackling Child Sexual Exploitation: Progress Report, published in February 2017, announced a £40m package of measures to protect children and young people from sexual abuse, exploitation and trafficking. The package included £7.5m for a new Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse, and a £7m uplift in funding for non-statutory organisations supporting the victims and survivors of sexual abuse.

The Ministry of Justice have provided around £68m to Police and Crime Commissioners in 2017/18 to locally commission emotional and practical support services for victims of crime, including for child victims of sexual abuse.