Domestic Abuse Bill — New Clause 23 — Commissioning Specialist Domestic Abuse Services for Victims and Perpetrators of Domestic Abuse — 6 Jul 2020 at 21:00

The majority of MPs voted not to require specialist support and services for all persons affected by domestic abuse.

MPs were considering the Domestic Abuse Bill.^[1]

The proposed new clause rejected in this vote was titled: Commissioning specialist domestic abuse services for victims and perpetrators of domestic abuse and began:

• (1) It is the duty of relevant public authorities in England and non-devolved relevant public authorities in Wales in the exercise of their functions to commission sufficient specialist services for all persons affected by domestic abuse regardless of status.
• (2) To ensure compliance with the duty under subsection (1) public authorities must—
• (a) regularly assess population and support needs changes in their area;
• (b) take account of any strategy to end violence against women and girls adopted by a Minister of the Crown; and
• (c) co-operate to discharge the duty.
• ...

The rejected new clause was accompanied by the following statement from the proposer of the new clause:

• This new clause would establish a statutory duty on relevant public authorities to commission specialist support and services to all persons affected by domestic abuse. This includes refuge and community-based services; specialist services for groups with protected characteristics; services for children and young people; services for perpetrators.
• [1] Parliament's webpage on the Domestic Abuse Bill, Parliament.uk

Debate in Parliament |