Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they will publish the feasibility study on the possibility of developing prevalence estimates of female genital mutilation and forced marriage, and their response to that study.

To prevent and respond effectively to forced marriage and FGM it is essential that we understand the prevalence of these crimes.

As such, the Home Office commissioned a feasibility study in 2023 to examine whether it is possible to produce robust prevalence estimates for FGM and forced marriage. We are currently considering the next steps in this area, and will set these out in due course.

While not markers of prevalence, the Government monitors other indicators of forced marriage and FGM to inform its understanding. These indicators include police recorded crime, contacts to the joint Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office and Home Office Forced Marriage Unit, and data from the National Health Service in England and the courts.