Sexual Assault Referral Centres

Oral Answers to Questions — Home Department – in the House of Commons at 2:30 pm on 18 May 2009.

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Photo of Lynda Waltho Lynda Waltho Labour, Stourbridge 2:30, 18 May 2009

What funding her Department has allocated to sexual assault referral centres for 2009-10.

Photo of Alan Campbell Alan Campbell Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office) (Crime Reduction)

In 2009-10, £1.6 million has been allocated for sexual assault referral centres—SARCs. As part of the 2008 funding round, £659,000 was allocated, and a further £941,000 was announced on 15 April this year.

Photo of Lynda Waltho Lynda Waltho Labour, Stourbridge

I welcome that fantastic news about funding, but when I met women from Women's Aid a few weeks ago they were concerned that funding, although welcome, may be diverted from rape crisis centres and that they will continually have to reapply for funding from different pots of money. Will my hon. Friend reassure me that that will not happen? After all, rape crisis centres were set up for women, by women, for a specific function that is slightly different from that of sexual assault referral centres.

Photo of Alan Campbell Alan Campbell Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office) (Crime Reduction)

I am happy to give my hon. Friend that reassurance. We value the work of rape crisis centres and SARCs, and that is why we continue to invest in both of them. However, it is right that we look at co-ordinating provision where possible to ensure that we make the best use of funding.