4. To ask the Scottish Government what support is being provided to victims of domestic abuse during the Covid-19 outbreak. (S5O-04407)

First and foremost, it is completely unacceptable that people may be experiencing abuse in their own homes. Let me be clear: help is available to anyone who is experiencing domestic abuse.

We have allocated more than £1.5 million to Scottish Women’s Aid, the advocacy, support, safety, information and services together project—ASSIST—and Rape Crisis Scotland to support rapid service redesign, expand capacity and cover the costs of infrastructure.

I will keep my comments brief, Presiding Officer. I speak to the chief constable almost daily; I also speak to local authority partners regularly on the issue. In addition, we continue to listen to the survivors of domestic abuse on what more we can do to assist them during lockdown.

Every element of support is welcome. I would like to highlight a new service that Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis offers during the lockdown. It has established a text support service for survivors, who are finding it extremely difficult to find a private place or space in which to seek support. Will the Cabinet secretary commit to providing support to ensure that the service can be open to other organisations that offer assistance to survivors of sexual violence and abuse? Will he commit to ensuring that that support continues post-lockdown?

Again, I will be brief, Presiding Officer. Yes, I commit to looking with an open mind not just at the service that Sandra White has mentioned, but at whether we can potentially give similar support to other organisations. She makes the very good point that it is not just about supporting survivors of domestic abuse during lockdown. If we can support them further when it comes to the transition out of lockdown, or, indeed, when we are in the recovery phase, the Government takes that exceptionally seriously.

Scottish Women’s Aid has warned that increased requests for emergency accommodation have coincided with the reduction in its capacity due to distancing requirements and delays in moving individuals to more permanent homes. Does the Cabinet secretary believe that there is enough refuge capacity? Is he aware of recommendations from the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee that space in hotels and hostels be secured, so that a safe space can be guaranteed?

Those are exceptionally important questions. Scottish Women’s Aid and others have raised that issue with me previously. Christina McKelvie, the Minister for Older People and Equalities, Kevin Stewart, the Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning, and I are in discussions with those organisations about what additional support we can provide.

I have not seen the Home Affairs Committee’s report, but on the back of Liam McArthur’s question, I will make sure that I have access to it. We can learn from other jurisdictions—I am always open to doing that.