Policing and Crime Bill

The Home Office assessment is that £180,000 a year will be allocated for this, which, if you assume that 1,000 women will be referred in a year, is only £180 per woman, which with on-costs for someone with three meetings, I suggest will result in a considerable shortfall. The costings alone call that into question. The noble Baroness, Lady Stern, raised the issue. Referral orders have been supported by some projects working with women, but they are in a dilemma. They support the idea of referral orders, but they are going to be on the receiving end of the money, which may make them less objective.