L

Lord Meston (CB)

Speaking in the House of Lords on 16 July 2025

Debate

Female Genital Mutilation

Contribution

My Lords, the low rate of criminal conviction is the result of evidential problems presented by young victims and of family and cultural pressures, but FGM remains a dangerous and illegal practice. In many cases, prevention and protection must be seen as more effective than prosecution. Does the Minister agree that the more reliable measures of prevalence are the important FGM protection orders made by the family courts—albeit only 930 have been made in the last 10 years and 21 in the first quarter of this year—coupled with the excellent data now collated by the NHS? We are now just at the time of year before the long school holiday, when girls are most at risk of being taken abroad and subjected to FGM. Will the Government remind professionals of that and of the particular need for vigilance?

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