I secured a debate on domestic abuse and black women. Smaller specialist organisations often do not have the finances or resources to bid for larger contracts. This has resulted in the erosion of black and minority ethnic specialist services. These services provide a lifeline for women when they are at their most vulnerable. We need greater representation of the needs of black women at policy level. No decision that disproportionately affects black women should be made without them. I will continue to work with front bench colleagues to raise these concerns in the remaining stages of the Domestic Abuse Bill.
The Public Accounts Committee looked at the Government’s failure to deliver on 10,000 new prison spaces. See the transcript here.
Plus, on Monday the Government pushed through the biggest change in licensing laws in decades. Hackney has over 1,300 licensed premises and Hackney Council will have to work with the police to manage the licences and any anti-social behaviour that arises. Businesses need support but not at any cost. We have already seen anti-social behaviour on a scale that would have been unimaginable a few months ago. I am working to build an alliance of MPs to get the Government to see common sense.