FUNDING FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES AND WOMEN'S REFUGES

That this House is shocked at figures that local government spending is facing a funding gap of £5.8 billion by 2020 and that almost £10 million of support has been cut from women’s refuges; is concerned at the detrimental impact this will have on vital local services; notes that almost a fifth of specialist women's refuges have had to close in the last eight years; is further concerned at reports that in 2017, over 400 vulnerable women and children were turned away from refuges due to lack of space; further notes that there was no mention of the WASPI women affected by the state pension increase; is alarmed that the Spring Statement 2018 does not address these issues; and calls on the Government to reverse these spending decisions and bring forward measures that would end the crisis in local government funding.