Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to encourage workplaces to (a) promote positive cultural change and (b) prevent harmful attitudes and behaviours that lead to violence against women.
Answered by Laura Farris - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Ministry of Justice) (jointly with Home Office)
The Department works closely with and promotes organisations that seek to improve the employer's response to domestic abuse, including with the Employers Initiative on Domestic Abuse (EIDA) and the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant (EDAC).
In addition, through the Employers Engagement Fund, The Survivors Trust has been awarded funding in 2023/24 and 2024/25 to work with employers to raise awareness of domestic abuse, train their employees on how to identify, better understand and respond to domestic abuse disclosures in the workplace.
Our national communications campaign ‘Enough’ was launched in 2022, to challenge the harmful behaviours that exist within wider society. Campaign advertising has reached millions of individuals across England and Wales, and thousands of clicks on the website through to organisations that support victims of these crimes.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his department is taking to promote programmes that engage directly with men and boys to prevent violence against women and girls.
Answered by Laura Farris - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Ministry of Justice) (jointly with Home Office)
The Department works closely with and promotes organisations that seek to improve the employer's response to domestic abuse, including with the Employers Initiative on Domestic Abuse (EIDA) and the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant (EDAC).
In addition, through the Employers Engagement Fund, The Survivors Trust has been awarded funding in 2023/24 and 2024/25 to work with employers to raise awareness of domestic abuse, train their employees on how to identify, better understand and respond to domestic abuse disclosures in the workplace.
Our national communications campaign ‘Enough’ was launched in 2022, to challenge the harmful behaviours that exist within wider society. Campaign advertising has reached millions of individuals across England and Wales, and thousands of clicks on the website through to organisations that support victims of these crimes.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 13 November 2023 to Question 70 on Defence: Recruitment, how many people have been disciplined for (a) a relationship between instructors and trainees, (b) sexual offences and (c) unacceptable sexual behaviour since the introduction of the new Armed Forces policies in 2022.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Defence has made it clear there is zero tolerance to any form of unacceptable sexual behaviour, and this includes sexual offences. Under the Ministry of Defence’s Zero Tolerance Part One (Sexual Offences and Instructor/Trainee Relationships) policy, for all Service People who are convicted of a sexual offence, or who are placed on the Sex Offenders Register there is a mandatory presumption of discharge from the Armed Forces. Similarly, for Zero Tolerance Part Two (Unacceptable Sexual Behaviour – A Victim/Survivor Focused Approach), there is a presumption of discharge for those found in breach of this policy.
The Defence Serious Crime Unit, formed in December 2022, has the jurisdiction to investigate the most serious and complex crimes alleged to have been committed by persons subject to service law in both the UK and overseas, including sexual offences, domestic abuse and offences of violence.
Up to 30 September 2023;
a) two instructors have been found to have engaged in sexual relationships with trainees. Both have been discharged.
b) two Service personnel have been administratively discharged under the ‘zero tolerance to sexual offending’ policy following their conviction for a sexual offence. This is in addition to 14 who have been dismissed by the Court Martial following conviction for sexual offences.
c) 14 Service personnel have been discharged for unacceptable sexual behaviour under the ‘zero tolerance to unacceptable sexual behaviour’ policy.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to increase conviction rates for rape.
Answered by Laura Farris - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Ministry of Justice) (jointly with Home Office)
The Government does not seek to influence the outcome of trial processes, which are underpinned by judicial independence and the right to a fair trial. Instead, through our Rape Review Action Plan, we are delivering a programme of work to significantly increase the number of adult rape cases reaching court.
We have already exceeded each of our ambitions to return the number of adult rape cases referred by the police, charged by the CPS and reaching court to 2016 levels ahead of schedule, with the number of adult rape cases reaching court now 13% higher than in 2016. In addition, the latest data shows that prosecutions and convictions for adult rape have increased on the previous year, with prosecutions volumes now higher than they were in 2010, when we came into Government.
But we are determined to go further. We continue to deliver a range of actions that will allow us to go further in increasing the number of adult rape cases reaching court. This includes:
Asked by: Mark Pawsey (Conservative - Rugby)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to tackle domestic violence.
Answered by Laura Farris - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Ministry of Justice) (jointly with Home Office)
Domestic abuse is an abhorrent crime and tackling it remains a top priority for this Government.
We remain committed to delivering our Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy and complimentary Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan. We have doubled funding for the National Domestic Abuse Helpline and added violence against women and girls - including domestic abuse - to the revised Strategic Policing Requirement elevating it to a national threat for police forces to respond to accordingly.
Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to tackle (a) rape, (b) sexual assault and (c) sexual harassment towards women training at Armed Forces colleges.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Defence has made it clear there is zero tolerance to any form of unacceptable sexual behaviour, and this includes sexual offences. Under the Ministry of Defence’s Zero Tolerance Part One (Sexual Offences and Instructor/Trainee Relationships) policy, for all Service People who are convicted of a sexual offence, or who are placed on the Sex Offenders Register there is a mandatory presumption of discharge from the Armed Forces. Similarly, for Zero Tolerance Part Two (Unacceptable Sexual Behaviour – A Victim/Survivor Focused Approach), there is a presumption of discharge for those found in breach of this policy.
Defence is working to ensure that victims of unacceptable sexual behaviour trust they can report such behaviour, have confidence that their complaint will be investigated in an appropriate and sensitive way, that appropriate action will be taken and that they will be supported throughout any investigation. Commanding Officers are directed to take this responsibility to victims extremely seriously and any indications that a sexual offence has taken place must be referred to the Service Police. Ignorance of the policies will not be accepted as an excuse for unacceptable behaviours and an awareness package has been rolled out across Chains of Command.
The Defence Serious Crime Unit, formed in December 2022, has the jurisdiction to investigate the most serious and complex crimes alleged to have been committed by persons subject to service law in both the UK and overseas, including sexual offences, domestic abuse and offences of violence.
Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to tackle (a) rape, (b) sexual assault and (c) sexual harassment towards women serving in the Armed Forces.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Defence has made it clear there is zero tolerance to any form of unacceptable sexual behaviour, and this includes sexual offences. Under the Ministry of Defence’s Zero Tolerance Part One (Sexual Offences and Instructor/Trainee Relationships) policy, for all Service People who are convicted of a sexual offence, or who are placed on the Sex Offenders Register there is a mandatory presumption of discharge from the Armed Forces. Similarly, for Zero Tolerance Part Two (Unacceptable Sexual Behaviour – A Victim/Survivor Focused Approach), there is a presumption of discharge for those found in breach of this policy.
Defence is working to ensure that victims of unacceptable sexual behaviour trust they can report such behaviour, have confidence that their complaint will be investigated in an appropriate and sensitive way, that appropriate action will be taken and that they will be supported throughout any investigation. Commanding Officers are directed to take this responsibility to victims extremely seriously and any indications that a sexual offence has taken place must be referred to the Service Police. Ignorance of the policies will not be accepted as an excuse for unacceptable behaviours and an awareness package has been rolled out across Chains of Command.
The Defence Serious Crime Unit, formed in December 2022, has the jurisdiction to investigate the most serious and complex crimes alleged to have been committed by persons subject to service law in both the UK and overseas, including sexual offences, domestic abuse and offences of violence.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham, Deptford)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, will the proposed Victims and Prisoners Bill consider placing a statutory duty on criminal justice agencies to provide accessible information to disabled victims about their rights and entitlements, pursuant to Right 1 of the Victims’ Charter.
Answered by Laura Farris - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Ministry of Justice) (jointly with Home Office)
This Government is committed to ensuring that all victims are made aware of their entitlements under the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime (‘the Victims’ Code’), and the Victims and Prisoners Bill (‘the Bill’) already takes appropriate steps to require that criminal justice agencies provide accessible information to victims about their rights and entitlements.
The Bill places a statutory duty on criminal justice agencies to raise awareness of the Victims’ Code with victims, which includes those affected by disabilities. Statutory guidance will set out ways this can be done effectively, including how materials can be made more accessible for different individual needs.
The Bill also places the overarching principles of the Victims’ Code into legislation, including the principle that victims should be provided with information to help them understand the criminal justice process.
This principle underlines the existing requirements in the Victims’ Code under Right 1, which entitles victims to be helped to understand what is happening and to be understood. This obliges criminal justice agencies to consider relevant personal characteristics which may affect a victim’s ability to understand or be understood and requires them to communicate in an accessible way. This includes protected characteristics such as disability. To ensure the Code itself is accessible, it is available in a range of formats and languages on GOV.UK, including a HTML version that is compatible with screen reading technology, large print, easy read and British Sign Language.
The Bill also introduces measures to improve support for victims of crime including a duty on Police and Crime Commissioners, local authorities and health bodies to collaborate when commissioning support services for victims of domestic abuse, sexual abuse and other serious violence. Within this, commissioners are required to have regard to the particular needs of those with protected characteristics, including victims who are disabled. In addition, the Bill requires that statutory guidance is published about the roles of Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs) and Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs), which will provide the necessary flexibility for these roles to support the individual needs of victims who are disabled. Together these measures recognise the importance of tailored services to meet the diverse needs of victims.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham, Deptford)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the provisions in the Victims and Prisoners Bill to safeguard disabled victims of crime.
Answered by Laura Farris - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Ministry of Justice) (jointly with Home Office)
This Government is committed to ensuring that all victims are made aware of their entitlements under the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime (‘the Victims’ Code’), and the Victims and Prisoners Bill (‘the Bill’) already takes appropriate steps to require that criminal justice agencies provide accessible information to victims about their rights and entitlements.
The Bill places a statutory duty on criminal justice agencies to raise awareness of the Victims’ Code with victims, which includes those affected by disabilities. Statutory guidance will set out ways this can be done effectively, including how materials can be made more accessible for different individual needs.
The Bill also places the overarching principles of the Victims’ Code into legislation, including the principle that victims should be provided with information to help them understand the criminal justice process.
This principle underlines the existing requirements in the Victims’ Code under Right 1, which entitles victims to be helped to understand what is happening and to be understood. This obliges criminal justice agencies to consider relevant personal characteristics which may affect a victim’s ability to understand or be understood and requires them to communicate in an accessible way. This includes protected characteristics such as disability. To ensure the Code itself is accessible, it is available in a range of formats and languages on GOV.UK, including a HTML version that is compatible with screen reading technology, large print, easy read and British Sign Language.
The Bill also introduces measures to improve support for victims of crime including a duty on Police and Crime Commissioners, local authorities and health bodies to collaborate when commissioning support services for victims of domestic abuse, sexual abuse and other serious violence. Within this, commissioners are required to have regard to the particular needs of those with protected characteristics, including victims who are disabled. In addition, the Bill requires that statutory guidance is published about the roles of Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs) and Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs), which will provide the necessary flexibility for these roles to support the individual needs of victims who are disabled. Together these measures recognise the importance of tailored services to meet the diverse needs of victims.
Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many cases of (a) sexual assault, (b) sexual harassment and (c) rape have been investigated by the (i) the Royal Military Police and (ii) civilian police forces in connection with reported incidents involving armed forces personnel serving at Royal Navy colleges in the UK.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Statistical information on Murder, Manslaughter, Sexual Offences and Domestic Abuse in the Service Justice System is published by the Department on gov.uk. However, further detail is not held centrally and the answers to these questions could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
The Royal Military Police are the Service Police for the Army. The Royal Navy and Royal Air Force have their own Service Police. The Defence Serious Crime Unit, formed in December 2022, has the jurisdiction to investigate the most serious and complex crimes alleged to have been committed by persons subject to service law in both the UK and overseas, including sexual offences, domestic abuse and offences of violence.
While some information is held by the single Services on crimes reported to and investigated by the Civilian Police, the information recorded is based on that provided by or obtained from the Civilian Police or the subject, therefore the Department is unable to provide official data in this respect.
“Sexual harassment” is not an offence under civil or Armed Forces law, however Defence has made it clear there is zero tolerance to any form of unacceptable sexual behaviour. Under the MOD’s Zero Tolerance Part One (Sexual Offences and Instructor/Trainee Relations) policy, for all Service persons who are convicted of a sexual offence, or who are placed on the Sex Offenders Register there is a mandatory presumption of discharge from the Armed Forces. Similarly, for Zero Tolerance Part Two (Unacceptable Sexual Behaviour – A Victim/Survivor Focused Approach), there is a presumption of discharge for those found in breach of this policy.