Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he last discussed violence against women and girls with representatives of the Indian government; and if he will make a statement.

We are committed to working with the Indian government and international partners to address the problems of gender-based violence, human trafficking and child exploitation and regularly discuss these issues with the Indian authorities. Our High Commissioner Sir James Bevan recently met India's Minister for Women and Child Development, Maneka Gandhi on 17 June to discuss a range of issues, including gender-based violence and the UK's plans to host the 2014 Girls Summit aimed at tackling female genital mutilation (FGM) and early and forced marriage. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), has also discussed the Prevention of Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative and its efforts to prevent violence against women and girls, with India's new Foreign Minister, Sushma Swaraj.

Through the Department for International Development (DFID) the UK supports measures in India's 120 poorest districts to promote the empowerment and access to benefits and services of excluded groups. DFID India also provides support to national and state governments in India, which includes helping girls to complete basic education and further tackling violence against women and girls.