Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Women need women who support them report published by Advance on 22 November 2021, what steps he is taking to increase the use of (a) conditional cautions followed by support from a women’s centre and (b) community resolutions followed by support from a women’s centre relative to court-based disposals for women suspected of low-level offending.

The Government is legislating in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill to reform the out of court disposal framework, which includes conditional cautions, to ensure that, in future, all out of court disposals have conditions aimed at rehabilitation, reparation or punishment. They will provide an opportunity for intervention and support to offenders at an earlier stage, diverting them into rehabilitative services to help reduce escalation of offending and address complex needs. Community services for women, including those provided by women’s centres, can also be an important resource for the police as an alternative to prosecution.