Oral QuestionWomen and Equalities

What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help protect girls from sex-based violence by grooming gangs.

Tabled: 1 May 2025Answered: 7 May 2025

Asked by

Bob Blackman

ConservativeHarrow East

Answering Minister

the Minister for Women and Equalities

Answer from Hansard

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Jess Phillips)

The Government are taking unprecedented action to improve the response to these heinous crimes, so that we get more perpetrators behind bars and get justice for victims and survivors. We are increasing investment in the taskforce, and every police force has been asked to review cases that were closed with no further action taken. Arrests are increasing. We are expanding victims’ rights to review. Crucially, we are introducing the new, long-overdue mandatory reporting duties, and the new statutory aggravating factor for grooming offences.