Clause 33 - Grants for assisting victims, witnesses etc
Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill [Lords]
2:45 pm
Ms Vera Baird (Redcar, Labour)
I beg to move amendment No. 88, in clause 33, page 19, line 30, at end add—
'(3) The Secretary of State may make grants to voluntary organisations under this section for the purpose of providing appropriate protection and support services for children who have suffered impairment due to seeing or hearing ill-treatment of another person. Any payments will be subject to such conditions as he considers appropriate.'.
Although I tabled the amendment, I should have preferred to defer to my hon. Friend the Member for Lancaster and Wyre (Mr. Dawson) because it falls within his area of interest concerning children. He is not present, however, so I shall press on.
This amendment, which I discussed with my hon. Friend and others, is advocated by Women's Aid and a large number of organisations, including Refuge, which are concerned about the impact on children of having seen or heard the ill treatment of another person, usually in the context of domestic violence.