Written question asked by Margaret Moran (Labour) on Wednesday, 20 February 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 22 February 2008. It was answered by Lord Coaker (Labour) on Tuesday, 4 March 2008 on behalf of the Home Office.

Forced Marriage: Victim Support Schemes

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what accredited training is available to agencies working with victims of (a) forced marriage and (b) attempted honour killings.

Answer: A wide range of people deal with the issue of forced marriage, including teachers, social workers, youth workers and health professionals. It is recognised that specialist training is required to provide these professionals with the skills needed to identify and manage cases of forced marriage. Staff from these professions receive training in accordance with their professional training bodies. In-house training is provided to Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) staff and overseas staff in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to prepare them for working with victims of forced marriage. The FMU also provides briefing sessions to other agencies that deal with forced marriage.The Home Office provides funds for Independent Domestic Violence Advisers to receive accredited training from the Coordinated Action Against Domestic Abuse, which covers the issues of forced marriage and honour-based violence.

Secondary information