Domestic Abuse Act 2021 Committee

This House of Lords select committee scrutinises the implementation and effectiveness of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 across England and Wales. The committee holds regular oral evidence sessions with practitioners, policy officials, and stakeholders to examine how the Act operates in practice. It takes evidence under oath and publishes transcripts to inform Parliament on gaps and challenges in domestic abuse law and policy. Recent inquiries have focused on the treatment of children as victims in family court proceedings, where the committee examined how courts balance protection with contact rights. The committee has also investigated police enforcement of the Act's provisions, exploring whether officers apply the law consistently and effectively. A further area of scrutiny concerns courts and family courts more broadly, assessing how judicial systems implement the Act's protective measures and domestic abuse protections.