Question
2. What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the handling of sexual offences committed by healthcare professionals in the criminal justice system.
Answer
I thank my hon. Friend for asking that very important question. I want to reassure her, the House and anyone else who is listening that the Government take sexual offending extremely seriously, no matter who the perpetrator may be—a physician, a celebrity, or anyone else—and it must be dealt with appropriately by the criminal justice system. In our strategy to tackle violence against women and girls, we have committed to preventing these awful crimes, pursuing perpetrators and supporting the victims. We have signed up to this commitment across Government, and that includes the Health Secretary.25% vibes
Verdict: RED (20/100)
The reply points to a shared cross-government commitment under the violence against women and girls strategy, which names the Health Secretary. It does not say what the department has actually done with the Health Secretary on healthcare professionals who commit sexual offences, so the answer stays general. The asker would likely need to ask again for specific information.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is the nature of the department's engagement with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the handling of sexual offences committed by healthcare professionals in the criminal justice system? | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply describes a shared cross-government commitment under the violence against women and girls strategy that explicitly includes the Health Secretary, which speaks to the general nature of the department's engagement. However, it says nothing about the department's actual dealings with the Health Secretary on healthcare professionals who commit sexual offences, so the answer stays generic. |