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Written question asked by Lord Swire (Conservative) on Wednesday, 17 December 2025, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Monday, 5 January 2026. It was answered by Lord Hanson of Flint (Labour) on Monday, 5 January 2026 on behalf of the Home Office.

Female Genital Mutilation

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of which ethnic minorities in the UK are more vulnerable to female genital mutilation.

Answer

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a crime, it is child abuse, and it can destroy lives. On Thursday 18 December, we published the VAWG Strategy setting out the strategic direction and concrete actions to deliver on the Government’s VAWG ambition, including on FGM.

The Home Office routinely collects and publishes data on police recorded crime that has been flagged as FGM. In the year ending March 2025, there were 109 FGM offences recorded by the police. We do not collect data on whether these cases involve a risk of FGM taking place abroad or within England and Wales. This data also only represents cases reported to and recorded by the police as FGM. For that reason, it does not reflect the true scale of the crime.

FGM is not confined to one group. It affects many communities and is carried out in various forms. That is why improving our understanding of the scale and nature of this horrific crime is essential to ensure there is adequate support available. Building on a feasibility study conducted by the University of Birmingham in 2024, the Home Office has commissioned a study this financial year to test the viability of producing a national prevalence estimate for FGM (and forced marriage).

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL13138
Session
2024-26
Related items
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Ethnic groups Female genital mutilation
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk