At the end of last week, I had the opportunity to safely visit the volunteers and staff at the Great Western Hospital and the Steam Museum to thank them for their hard work with the vaccine rollout here in Swindon.
More than 20 million people have received a vaccine so far, equivalent to about 1 in 3 adults, including over 1.7 million in the South West. This is the third highest per head, behind only the UAE and Israel. In addition, only two countries have administered more doses in number than the UK – China and the USA.
With our vaccination programme averaging more than 2.5 million doses a week, the Prime Minister aims to ensure every adult is offered a jab by the end of July.
I urge everyone to have their vaccine when called on, as every jab will bring us one step closer to normality.
As Justice Secretary & Lord Chancellor, I am proud to be spearheading the Government’s efforts to put the Domestic Abuse Bill on the statute book. It is important that this Bill is as robust as possible and that is why a raft a new amendments will be added this week to provide greater protections for victims and further clamp down on perpetrators.
The proposals we are putting forward include making non-fatal strangulation a specific criminal offence, punishable by up to five years in prison. This horrible act typically involves an abuser strangling or intentionally affecting their victim’s breathing in an attempt to control or intimidate them.
We will also strengthen legislation around controlling or coercive behaviour – no longer making it a requirement for abusers and victims to live together. The change follows a Government review which highlighted that those who leave abusive ex-partners can often be subjected to sustained or increased controlling or coercive behaviour post-separation.
So-called ‘revenge porn’ laws – introduced in 2015 – will also be widened to include threats to disclose intimate images with the intention to cause distress. More than 900 abusers have been convicted since revenge porn was outlawed and we are determined to further protect victims, with those who threaten to share such images facing up to two years behind bars.
The Domestic Abuse Bill provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity to strengthen our response to domestic abuse and its many forms. From outlawing non-fatal strangulation to giving better protections in court – we are delivering the support victims need to feel safer while ensuring perpetrators face justice for the torment they have inflicted.
If you are a victim or are worried about someone who is or may be a victim of domestic abuse, please call the Swindon Domestic Abuse Partnership on 01793 610610 any time of the day or night.
Last week we marked 30 years since the liberation of Kuwait from occupation in the First Gulf War. The UK committed the largest contingent of any European State that participated in the war’s combat operations. A number of the 35,000 British troops who served in the war live here in Swindon. We should remember and value their service to our Country.
As we mark this anniversary, let us think about the 47 British service personnel who lost their lives during the conflict, those who continue to suffer the mental and physical effects of the war and those who work tirelessly to support our veterans. We owe them a debt of gratitude.
