Domestic abuse charity Refuge has been awarded a grant to operate a vital helpline to provide confidential advice for domestic abuse victims.

Refuge has been awarded more than £1.2 million to run the National Domestic Violence Helpline, a free service which provides confidential information and expert support to people affected by domestic abuse.

The service is free to call on 0808 2000 247. It is staffed 24 hours a day, every day of the year, by a dedicated team of experts.

As well as getting support, staff can help victims access refuge accommodation and other specialist services.

Refuge has also secured additional funding to develop new digital and mobile resources to support even more victims. This includes increasing capacity to answer more live calls, developing webchat services and publishing information on social media channels to widen the availability of the helpline service.

Minister for Crime, Safeguarding and Vulnerability Victoria Atkins said:

The National Domestic Violence Helpline provides a lifeline for so many victims of domestic abuse and we are committed to ensuring those in help need get the best possible service.

Refuge’s dedication and expertise will provide vital help for victims who may feel they have nowhere else to turn.

Sandra Horley, CBE, chief executive of Refuge said:

We are delighted to have been awarded this contract grant funding, which will increase the support available to those experiencing domestic abuse.

Two women a week die at the hands of their partner and every year thousands of children witness and experience abuse in the home.

No one should live in fear of violence and abuse; everyone has a right to live in safety. The National Domestic Violence Helpline can save lives and change lives.

The grant funding for Refuge was awarded following a competition. The grant will run from November 2019 to March 2022.

The government is driving the response to domestic abuse in the UK. The draft Domestic Abuse Bill, published in January set out a number of legislative and non-legislative measures to tackle the crime. These include:

• introducing a statutory government definition of domestic abuse, which will highlight economic abuse as a distinct type of abuse
• new domestic abuse protection notices and a domestic abuse protection orders (DAPO). Under a DAPO, perpetrators could be required to attend rehabilitation programmes where substance abuse is a factor in that abuse, or other behaviour change programmes
• a new Domestic Abuse Commissioner who will work to ensure that services are provided are as effective, evidence-based and safe as they can be
• placing the guidance supporting the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (Clare’s Law) on a statutory footing

The government has committed more than £1 million a year up to 2022 to help fund six other helplines. These include support woman and girls who are experience violence, men experiencing violence and specialist support for other victims. These are:

• The National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans
• (LGBT) Domestic Violence Helpline, run by Galop – 0800 999 5428
• The National Stalking Helpline, run by The Suzy Lamplugh Trust – 0808 802 0300
• The Men’s Advice Line, run by Respect – 0808 801 0327
• Respect Phoneline for perpetrators of Domestic Abuse, run by Respect – 0808 802 4040
• Honour Based Abuse Helpline, run by Karma Nirvana – 0800 5999 247
• The Revenge Porn Helpline, run by South West Grid for Learning Trust – 0845 6000 459

Dr Liam Fox is in Washington DC where he will meet senior government representatives and Congressmen and Senators from Iowa, Oregon, New York and North Carolina to help lay the groundwork for a post-Brexit trade agreement.

During his visit, Dr Fox will meet with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, and Larry Kudlow, who is Chair of the National Economic Council.

They will discuss the US and the UK’s commitment to strengthening our close economic partnership, including through a comprehensive and ambitious free trade agreement.

Dr Fox will also meet Ivanka Trump, Advisor to the President, to discuss how to further empower women worldwide through trade, as well as continuing discussion about the value of the UK and US trading relationship. Dr Fox and Ms Trump discussed both of these matters during the State Banquet at Buckingham Palace last month.

One of the initiatives that the UK is involved in to support women in trade is the WE-FI initiative along with 13 other G20 members. This USA led programme is hosted at the World Bank and specifically supports women entrepreneurs in developing countries.

Broadening and deepening our economic relationship will benefit towns and cities throughout the UK and US by helping to create new jobs and boost economic growth.

The US is the UK’s largest trading partners and they have more than $1 trillion invested in each other’s economies.

The UK is a top five export market in 33 US states, which supports jobs across the country.

UK firms are estimated to support over 100,000 jobs in California alone, and businesses such as Aviva, Jaguar Land Rover and JCB have a significant US presence. US companies such as Caterpillar, Ford and Accenture invest heavily in the UK and support thousands of jobs.

Speaking about his visit, Dr Fox said:

Every day 1 million Americans wake up and go to work for British companies, and 1 million Brits go to work for US companies. These jobs are crucial to support families and communities in all corners of the UK and US.

From New York to North Carolina, every state of the USA has a crucial role to play in securing a post-Brexit trade agreement. We continue to lay the groundwork for our ambitious free trade agreement and I am delighted to be in Washington DC today meeting representatives from states across the US to hear how our special trading relationship can be strengthened in the coming months.

The US and UK trade delegations will also meet small and medium-sized businesses in Bristol this week to discuss the opportunities to strengthen US-UK trade, create jobs and boost economic growth in both countries. Focusing on a theme of emerging technology, the dialogue will focus on supporting businesses to connect, share insights on the obstacles they face in transatlantic trade, and receive resources to support their exports.

• The US is the UK’s largest single bilateral export market, accounting for 18.4% of all UK exports. The US was the UK’s second largest single source of imports (10.8% of total imports).  
• Total trade in goods and services between the UK and the US in 2018 was £190.5bn, up 4% on the previous 12 months.     
• In 2018 the UK exported £54.9bn of goods to the US, and £63.2bn of services.  
• The United States was the top destination for UK FDI in 2017, accounting for 19.6% of total UK outward FDI stock 
• The United States was the top investor in the UK in 2017, accounting for 26.3% of total UK inward FDI stock. 
• In year to end 2018 Q4 the US was the UK’s largest single bilateral trading partner, accounting for 14.7 % of total UK trade.

Thank you, Mr President,

The United Kingdom thanks the team of international experts for their report and appreciates their work in Kasai.

We welcome the continued cooperation of the Democratic Republic of Congo authorities, including allowing the international experts unhindered access.

The UK notes the progress made by the DRC authorities in their efforts to investigate those who have committed serious crimes. However, the UK remains concerned that, as flagged in the report, the focus of these efforts has not been balanced; that their investigation does not reflect the full range of human rights violations and abuses committed; nor does it cover all categories of perpetrators. The UK urges the DRC authorities to increase efforts to bring justice for victims, including by broadening their investigation and prosecution strategy to ensure it adequately reflects the sexual nature and scale of the crimes committed. In addition, we urge the DRC authorities to combat impunity and ensure that no perpetrators of such crimes are exempt from justice, regardless of rank, identity or affiliation.

The UK agrees that reconciliation between the communities of Kasai remains key to preventing further violence and bringing peace to Kasai. The UK notes that DRC authorities have made efforts to foster reconciliation, but more needs to be done to address the root causes of the conflict if the people of Kasai are to reconcile and achieve peace and stability.

We would welcome the Independent Experts’ views on how they intend to engage with the new government in order to progress in the areas highlighted as a priority in this report.

Thank you, Mr President.

Prime Minister Theresa May visited Joint Forces Command HQ (JFC) at Northwood Headquarters. While at the Military Base, the Prime Minister met with military personnel and their families to thank them for their service.

The visit was part of a larger tour of the major commands at Northwood, which includes NATO Maritime Command Headquarters, UK Permanent Joint Headquarters and Command Operations for the Royal Navy.

The Prime Minister was briefed on Operations currently being conducted by UK forces, and our coalition partners, worldwide.

Wrapping up her visit the Prime Minister delivered a speech to JFC staff, in which she praised JFC and PJHQ’s unwavering support to the delivery of military operations across the globe.

The Prime Minister singled out the wholehearted commitment of service families:

I cannot imagine how it must feel to wave goodbye to someone you care deeply about, knowing you won’t see them again for many months – or even hear from them, if they are serving out of reach beneath the waves as part of our continuous at-sea deterrent.

I want to take this opportunity to recognise the contribution that you make, and to thank each one of you for helping to make our Armed Forces the very best in the world.

The Prime Minister concluded her speech with by thanking all of those who serve:

And as I come to the end of my time in office, I am proud to finish the way I started three years ago– by standing up and thanking our fantastic armed forces for all that they do.

You are the best in the world, and I wish you all the very best for the future.