Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress his Department has made to develop the Violence Against Women and Girls Taskforce.

Defence is developing a Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Taskforce to provide a clear, trauma-informed and survivor-centred approach to tackling sexual harassment and abuse, simplifying access to support and strengthening partnerships with NHS Sexual Assault Referral Centres, local authorities and specialist charities. We have identified two regional locations that will each have a small team of specialised posts dedicated to delivering initiatives focussed on prevention, education and support; these have an anticipated pilot launch date of December 2025.