Domestic Abuse Bill — Victims of Domestic Abuse: Leave to Remain and the Destitution Domestic Violence Concession (DDVC) — 15 Apr 2021 at 15:45

The majority of MPs voted not to provide migrant victims of abuse with temporary leave to remain in the United Kingdom and access to public funds, for up-to six months, so they can access support and apply for new immigration status.

MPs were considering the Domestic Abuse Bill.^[1][2]

The motion supported by a majority of MPs in this vote was:

• That this House disagrees with Lords amendment 41

Lords amendment 41^[3] began:

• Insert the following new Clause—
• “Victims of domestic abuse: leave to remain and the destitution domestic violence concession (DDVC)
• (1) The Secretary of State must, within three months of this Act being passed, lay before Parliament a statement of changes in rules made under section
• 3(2) of the Immigration Act 1971 (“the immigration rules”) to make provision for any person subject to immigration control who is a victim of domestic abuse in the United Kingdom to have a route to apply for leave to remain.
• (2) The statement laid under subsection (1) must—
• (a) set out rules for applying for indefinite leave to remain by any person subject to immigration control who is a victim of domestic abuse in the United Kingdom; and
• (b) provide for those rules to be commenced no later than one month after the laying of the statement.
• (3) The Secretary of State must make provision for granting limited leave to remain for a period of no less than six months to any person eligible to make an application under the immigration rules for the purposes of subsection (2); such leave must include no condition under section 3(1)(c)(i), (ia), (ii) or (v) of the Immigration Act 1971.

The explanatory notes to the Lords amendments^[4] stated:

• "Lords Amendment 41 would provide migrant victims of abuse with temporary leave to remain and access to public funds, for a period of no less than six months, so they can access support services while they flee abuse and apply to resolve their immigration status."

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• [1] Parliament's webpage on the Domestic Abuse Bill, Parliament.uk
• [2] Explanatory notes to the Domestic Abuse Bill as introduced in the House of Commons on 3 March 2020, Parliament.uk
• [3] Lords amendments to the Domestic Abuse Bill, Parliament.uk
• [4] Explanatory notes to the Lords amendments to the Domestic Abuse Bill as brought from the House of Commons on 7 July 2020, notes dated 25 March 2021, Parliament.uk

Debate in Parliament |