Domestic Violence

Oral Answers to Questions — Attorney-General – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 26 October 1992.

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Photo of Mrs Teresa Gorman Mrs Teresa Gorman , Billericay 12:00, 26 October 1992

To ask the Attorney-General what response he intends to make to the report of the national inter-agency working party on domestic violence.

Photo of Mr Derek Spencer Mr Derek Spencer , Brighton, Pavilion

The report's wide-ranging conclusions and recommendations, represent a valuable and constructive contribution to finding more effective ways of tackling domestic violence.

Photo of Mrs Teresa Gorman Mrs Teresa Gorman , Billericay

Will my hon. and learned Friend join me in welcoming the fact that Kiranjit Ahluwalia, who was subjected to appalling domestic violence and was imprisoned for life, has now been retried and freed? Does he welcome the recent decision of the New Zealand Government to review the laws on provocation so that women, who often retaliate at a later stage after being badly beaten, will have a much better chance of being able to plead manslaughter? Will he also take note of the recent book written by the distinguished woman QC, Helena Kennedy, which points out that the ingrained attitudes of the male-dominated legal profession often lead to women being more severely punished than men for similar crimes?

Photo of Mr Derek Spencer Mr Derek Spencer , Brighton, Pavilion

As my hon. Friend knows, any change to the substantive law is the responsibility of the Home Secretary, but I understand her concern about the matter. In his answer to my hon. Friend on 23 January this year the Home Secretary acknowledged that concern. He said that he believed that the arguments were finely balanced, that before we rushed into change we should be very sure that the changes did not do more harm than good, and that we did not want to introduce changes that would, in fact, sanction revenge killings.