Featherstone quizzes Follett

11.32.00am GMT Fri 21st Mar 2008

[Mar 20] Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green, Liberal Democrat): I welcome the Government's announcement that over the summer they will consider the issue of women who are trying to flee domestic violence . .

. . but who have no recourse to public funds because of their immigration status, but will the Minister commit to putting emergency funding in place now, because abusers will not wait for Government policy and these women need urgent help right now?

Barbara Follett (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Government Equalities Office): Like the hon. Lady, the Government are extremely aware of the acute problems faced by this group and that is why applications for indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom made by victims of domestic violence are prioritised, and where the applicant is destitute we are now waiving fees. It is also why we will shortly be announcing details of a new scheme under which victims of domestic violence with indefinite leave to remain may be able to have their housing and living costs met, but there is more work still to be done in this area.