Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:35 pm on 15 February 2017.
That has been, Janet, a lifelong ambition of mine, and I think everybody everywhere can join in that. And that is what we do. But, anyway, going back to the report, in Wales, the percentage of required IDVAs to support victims at high risk of abuse is 73 per cent, and, although this does compare well to many areas in England, like the Midlands, whose percentage is a very poor 40 per cent, there is obviously room for improvement. I understand, as the Government’s response to the recommendation points out, that IDVAs and MARACs are often jointly funded from a number of agencies and organisations, and that that funding actually varies across different local authorities and also different regions. I know that, in 2014, Dyfed-Powys Police force had to make significant improvements in this particular area, following a recommendation from a Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary inspection, and that they have done that.
So, my question in all of this is: since IDVAs and MARACs play a critical part in saving lives, and only intervene at the medium to high-risk level, what conversations and discussions, Cabinet Secretary, have you had, both with the Home Office, in terms of maintaining their funding and their commitment to saving those lives, but also with the four police and crime commissioners, who set their plans, and to make sure that, within their plans, there is a clear commitment to supporting the capacity of IDVAs and MARACs within their respective areas?