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<p> </p><p><em>[Holding Reply: Thursday 3 April 2014]</em></p><p>I refer the hon.
Member to Live Table 773 available on my Department's website at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/286822/Table_773.xlsx"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/286822/Table_773.xlsx</a>
for data on homelessness acceptances and households with a priority need category
of domestic violence.</p><p>Data at local authority level can be found in our “Detailed
local authority level homelessness figures” spreadsheets which can be found on my
Department's website at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-homelessness"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-homelessness</a></p><p>The
average numbers since 2010 are far less than under the last Administration, but there
is no case for complacency or tolerance of domestic violence.The Coalition Government
has ring-fenced nearly £40 million of stable funding for specialist local domestic
and sexual violence support services until 2015. This funding is used to part-fund
54 Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference coordinators and 144 Independent Domestic
Violence Advisors. We have piloted and rolled out Clare's Law and Domestic Violence
Protection Orders; extended the definition of domestic abuse to cover controlling
behaviour and teenage relationships; run two successful campaigns to challenge perceptions
of abuse; and placed Domestic Homicide Reviews on a statutory footing to make sure
lessons are learned from individual tragedies.</p><p>The dynamics of domestic abuse
mean that accommodation can play an important role in the resolution of interpersonal
abuse and conflict. It is the foundation to ensuring that adult and child victims
are afforded safety and security. This is why this Government has invested £470 million
to prevent and tackle all forms of homelessness over the spending review period. The
homelessness legislation in England provides one of the strongest safety nets in the
world for families with children and vulnerable people who become homeless through
no fault of their own.</p><p>There is a range of support for victims of domestic abuse.
Some victims will be accommodated in refuges, but Sanctuary Schemes and mainstream
local authority accommodation may be an option for others, while some victims will
pursue independent solutions with help and advice from support schemes as necessary.</p><p>My
Department also funds UKRefugesOnline a UK wide database of domestic violence services
which supports the national 24 hour free phone domestic violence helpline. It enables
those working with victims of domestic violence to identify appropriate services and
potential refuge vacancies around the country so that victims can get the help they
need as quickly as possible.</p><p>This Government has also made common sense changes
to the law to allow local authorities to end the main homelessness duty with offers
of accommodation in good-quality private sector accommodation. This helps homeless
households move to settled accommodation more quickly and means they spend less time
in temporary accommodation. Indeed, we have reduced the average stay in temporary
accommodation from 20 months at the beginning of 2010 to 14 months now.</p><p> </p>
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