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1567777

	registered interest
	date	17/01/2023
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Stalking
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, how many people charged with stalking offences had been previously convicted of such offences in each of the last 30 years for which figures are available.
	tabling member constituency	Croydon North
	tabling member printed	Steve Reed
	uin	125375
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2023 answer text <table><tbody><tr><td><p>The Protection from Harassment Act 1997 created the offence of harassment and latterly, as amended by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, stalking. The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 came into effect on 25 November 2012 and introduced two new offences of stalking, by way of Section 2A and Section 4A, into the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not hold any data which shows the number of defendants charged with and prosecuted for offences of stalking or the number of these who were previously convicted of similar offences. However, management information is held showing the number of offences of stalking in which a prosecution commenced from each year from 2013/14. The table below shows the number of these offences to the latest available year, 2021/22. <table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>2013-2014</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2014-2015</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2015-2016</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2016-2017</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2017-2018</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2018-2019</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2019-2020</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2020-2021</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2021-2022</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Protection from Harassment Act 1997 { 2A(1) and (4) }</p></td><td><p>529</p></td><td><p>676</p></td><td><p>643</p></td><td><p>510</p></td><td><p>921</p></td><td><p>1,246</p></td><td><p>1,257</p></td><td><p>1,326</p></td><td><p>1,741</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Protection from Harassment Act 1997 { 4A(1)(a)(b)(i) and (5) }</p></td><td><p>65</p></td><td><p>133</p></td><td><p>128</p></td><td><p>83</p></td><td><p>172</p></td><td><p>313</p></td><td><p>331</p></td><td><p>424</p></td><td><p>563</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Protection from Harassment Act 1997 { 4A(1)(a)(b)(ii) and (5) }</p></td><td><p>149</p></td><td><p>294</p></td><td><p>331</p></td><td><p>366</p></td><td><p>523</p></td><td><p>649</p></td><td><p>700</p></td><td><p>762</p></td><td><p>1,046</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="10"><p>Data Source: CPS Case Management Information System</p></td></tr></tbody></table>The figures relate to the number of offences and not the number of individual defendants. It is often the case that an individual defendant is charged with more than one offence against the same complainant. No data are held showing the final outcome or if the charged offence was the substantive charge at finalisation. The official statistics relating to crime and policing are maintained by the Home Office and the official statistics relating to sentencing, criminal court proceedings, offenders brought to justice, the courts and the judiciary are maintained by the Ministry of Justice.</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Mid Dorset and North Poole answering member printed Michael Tomlinson question first answered 25/01/2023 17:50:48 answering member 4497 label Biography information for Michael Tomlinson
	tabling member	4268 label Biography information for Steve Reed

173955

	registered interest
	date	15/01/2015
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Stalking
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, what assessment he has made of the effect of the stalking offences introduced by the implementation of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 on the number of other offences charged under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.
	tabling member constituency	Shipley
	tabling member printed	Philip Davies
	uin	220966
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2015 answer text <p>The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 created two new offences of stalking by inserting new sections 2A and 4A into the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. The new offences, which are not retrospective, came into force on the 25<sup>th</sup> of November 2012 and provide further options for prosecutors to consider when selecting charges. Between the introduction of the new stalking offences on the 25<sup>th</sup> of November 2012 and the end of September 2014, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) data for stalking offences charged by prosecutors shows a steady rise. It is not possible to determine with certainty the impact that the stalking offences have had on the number of other offences charged under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.</p><p>Figures for the number of stalking and harassment charges that reached a first hearing at Magistrates’ Courts are set out in the table below:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td><p><strong>2011-2012</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2012-2013</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2013-2014</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2014-2015</strong></p><p><strong> (April - Sept 2014)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Protection from Harassment Act 1997</p><p>{ 2(1) and (2) }</p></td><td><p>Harassment.</p></td><td><p>7,713</p></td><td><p>7,159</p></td><td><p>8,303</p></td><td><p>4,381</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Protection from Harassment Act 1997</p><p>{ 4(1) and (4) }</p></td><td><p>Harassment involving</p><p>fear of violence.</p></td><td><p>1,632</p></td><td><p>1,398</p></td><td><p>1,489</p></td><td><p>859</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Protection from Harassment Act 1997</p><p>{ 2A(1) and (4) }</p></td><td><p>Stalking with fear</p><p>/ alarm / distress.</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>72</p></td><td><p>529</p></td><td><p>319</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Protection from Harassment Act 1997</p><p>{ 4A(1)(a)(b)(i) and (5) }</p></td><td><p>Stalking involving</p><p>fear of violence.</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>9</p></td><td><p>65</p></td><td><p>59</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Protection from Harassment Act 1997</p><p>{ 4A(1)(a)(b)(ii) and (5) }</p></td><td><p>Stalking involving</p><p>serious alarm / distress.</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>149</p></td><td><p>122</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><p><strong>TOTAL HARASSMENT OFFENCES</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>9,345</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>8,648</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>10,535</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>5,740</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Data Source: CPS Case Management Information System</p><p><em>Notes:</em></p><p><em>1. </em><em>Whilst there is no strict legal definition of 'stalking', section 2A (3) of the </em><em> Protection from Harassment Act</em><em> 1997 sets out examples of acts or omissions which, in particular circumstances, are ones associated with stalking. These include: following, contacting, or attempting to contact a person by any means (this may be through friends, work colleagues, family or technology); or, other intrusions into the victim's privacy such as loitering in a particular place or watching or spying on a person. The effect of such</em><em> behaviour</em><em> is to curtail a victim's freedom, leaving them feeling that they constantly have to be watchful. In many cases, the conduct might appear innocent (if it were to be taken in isolation), but when carried out repeatedly so as to amount to a course of conduct, it may then cause significant alarm, harassment or distress to the victim.</em></p><p><em>2. </em><em>The table of data indicates the volume of offences charged in which a prosecution commenced at magistrates’ courts for offences of harassment. No information is held as to the number of individual defendants prosecuted, or details related to these individuals. It is often the case that an individual defendant is charged with more than one offence against the same victim.</em></p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Mr Robert Buckland question first answered 22/01/2015 16:24:05 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

1506186

	registered interest
	date	08/09/2022
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Stalking
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the number of cases of women who have been stalked in (a) York and (b) England in each the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	49712
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/09/2022 answer text <p>The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.</p><p>A response to the hon. Member’s Parliamentary Question of 8 September is attached.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 23/09/2022 13:16:34 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar attachment 1 file name UKSA_Response_to_49712.pdf title UKSA response to 49712
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

524610

	registered interest
	date	13/06/2016
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	Stalking
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 11 February (HL5970), how many of the 8,000 planned reports in 2016 will come from (1) the rare disease programme, and (2) the cancer programme.
	tabling member printed	Lord Freyberg
	uin	HL643
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2016 answer text <p>At this stage, Genomics England cannot provide an exact breakdown of the 8,000 planned reports. This will depend on the participants that NHS Genomic Medicine Centres recruit.</p> answering member printed Lord Prior of Brampton question first answered 27/06/2016 12:40:37 answering member 127 label Biography information for Lord Prior of Brampton
	tabling member	2593 label Biography information for Lord Freyberg

1050460

	registered interest
	date	29/01/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Stalking
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many complaints have been made to the Police in England and Wales in relation to section 4A on stalking of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997; how many complaints have resulted in charges being made; how many charges have resulted in convictions; and how many convictions have resulted in custodial sentences in each year since 2013.
	tabling member constituency	Dwyfor Meirionnydd
	tabling member printed	Liz Saville Roberts
	uin	214069
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/02/2019 answer text <p>The Home Office collects and publishes statistics on the number of stalking offences reported to and recorded by the police in England and Wales and how many of these have resulted in a charge/summons. These statistics are victim-based and data, for each year since 2013, can be found in police recorded crime and outcomes open data tables:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-recorded-crime-open-data-tables" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-recorded-crime-open-data-tables</a></p><p>Figures for prosecutions, convictions and custodial sentences for the offences of stalking involving fear of violence and stalking involving serious alarm/distress are available by selecting the offences in the ‘detailed offence’ field from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) published experimental data here:</p><p><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/738814/HO-Code-Tool-2017.xlsx" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/738814/HO-Code-Tool-2017.xlsx</a></p><p>The MoJ statistics are based on defendants prosecuted in each time period and may relate to crimes recorded by the police in a previous reporting period due to the time-lag between cases being initially recorded by the police and then brought before the courts.</p> answering member constituency Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner answering member printed Mr Nick Hurd question first answered 06/02/2019 17:42:50 answering member 1561 label Biography information for Mr Nick Hurd
	tabling member	4521 label Biography information for Liz Saville Roberts

1111076

	registered interest
	date	10/04/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Stalking
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on restricting the online sale of tracking devices which are bought by people who stalk women.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
	uin	243338
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/04/2019 answer text <p>Stalking is an insidious crime that has a deep and significant impact on victims’ wellbeing. Both online and offline, perpetrators leave victims feeling constantly at risk and looking over their shoulder. This Government is committed to ensuring that victims are supported.</p><p>On 8 April we published the Online Harms White Paper and in it we set out our proposals to address both harmful and illegal conduct and content, including a broad range of online harms associated with abuse, including stalking.</p><p>Additionally, the Government has provided Refuge with £250,000 of funding through the Tampon Tax to provide specialist nationwide support to staff and survivors who experience technologically facilitated abuse. We have also provided Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner with £646,000 through the Home Office Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Service Transformation Fund for a project which includes work to tackle cyberstalking.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 24/04/2019 13:20:27 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
	tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1134513

	registered interest
	date	25/06/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Stalking
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the number of incidents of stalking of women in England and Wales that were initially dismissed by police in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
	uin	268966
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2019 answer text <p>Being stalked can have terrifying consequences, and the Government is determined to do everything it can to protect victims and stop perpetrators at the earliest opportunity.</p><p>The Home Office collects information on the number of offences of stalking recorded by the police in England and Wales. It is not possible to tell from data held centrally whether or not incidents were initially dismissed by police.</p> answering member constituency Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner answering member printed Mr Nick Hurd question first answered 01/07/2019 15:58:44 answering member 1561 label Biography information for Mr Nick Hurd
	tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1289064

	registered interest
	date	23/02/2021
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Stalking
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to strengthen legislation to improve protections for victims of stalking and their families.
	tabling member constituency	Barnsley East
	tabling member printed	Stephanie Peacock
	uin	157244
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/03/2021 answer text <p>Stalking is a terrible, insidious crime that can have a devastating impact on victims’ wellbeing. This Government is committed to protecting and supporting victims and is determined to do everything we can to stop perpetrators at the earliest opportunity.</p><p>The Government has significantly strengthened the law to improve protection for victims of stalking. In 2012 we created two stalking offences to highlight stalking as a specific behaviour and through the Policing and Crime Act 2017 the maximum sentence for the offence of stalking involving fear of violence or serious alarm or distress was raised from five to ten years’ imprisonment.</p><p>In January 2020 we introduced new civil Stalking Protection Orders. These enable early police intervention, pre-conviction, to address stalking behaviours before they become deep-rooted or escalate. Stalking Protection Orders can be used in relation to any type of stalking and have the flexibility to impose both restrictions and positive requirements on the perpetrator. A breach of this order has a criminal penalty, carrying a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 03/03/2021 13:38:32 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
	tabling member	4607 label Biography information for Stephanie Peacock

1422032

	registered interest
	date	10/02/2022
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Stalking
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she has taken to ensure that all police forces in England are adequately able to (a) identify the need for and (b) appropriately implement stalking protection orders.
	tabling member constituency	Poplar and Limehouse
	tabling member printed	Apsana Begum
	uin	122857
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2022 answer text <p>Stalking is a terrible crime that can have a devastating impact on victims’ lives. This Government is committed to protecting and supporting victims and is determined to do everything we can to stop perpetrators at the earliest opportunity.</p><p>Each of the 43 police forces in England and Wales has at least one named single point of contact for stalking and harassment, who can advise officers on stalking cases. The role includes acting as the force link to specialist support services dealing with victims of stalking and offering support to ensure an investigation is being carried out appropriately.</p><p>Stalking Protection Orders were introduced in January 2020 to provide enable intervention to address stalking behaviours before they become deep-rooted or escalate. Upon their introduction the Government published statutory guidance for the police, developed in consultation with the police and others, about the orders, which includes material on identifying the need for and appropriately implementing them.</p><p>The Home Office-led a multi-agency project for the implementation of SPOs before their introduction – this included the development of operational guidance materials and standard forms and documents for the police, as developed by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and the College of Policing.</p><p>My officials have since been continuing to work closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s stalking lead to ensure that these orders are being used appropriately. This has included establishing actions in response to points raised by the police and others, such as the establishment of a process for the sharing of best practice between forces. In October 2021 I also wrote to all Chief Constables whose forces applied for fewer SPOs than might have been expected, to encourage them to always consider applying for a Stalking Protection Order in stalking cases.</p> answering member constituency Redditch answering member printed Rachel Maclean grouped question UIN 122858 question first answered 25/02/2022 14:14:08 answering member 4668 label Biography information for Rachel Maclean
	tabling member	4790 label Biography information for Apsana Begum

1422034

	registered interest
	date	10/02/2022
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Stalking
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a single point of contact within local police forces for victims of stalking.
	tabling member constituency	Poplar and Limehouse
	tabling member printed	Apsana Begum
	uin	122858
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2022 answer text <p>Stalking is a terrible crime that can have a devastating impact on victims’ lives. This Government is committed to protecting and supporting victims and is determined to do everything we can to stop perpetrators at the earliest opportunity.</p><p>Each of the 43 police forces in England and Wales has at least one named single point of contact for stalking and harassment, who can advise officers on stalking cases. The role includes acting as the force link to specialist support services dealing with victims of stalking and offering support to ensure an investigation is being carried out appropriately.</p><p>Stalking Protection Orders were introduced in January 2020 to provide enable intervention to address stalking behaviours before they become deep-rooted or escalate. Upon their introduction the Government published statutory guidance for the police, developed in consultation with the police and others, about the orders, which includes material on identifying the need for and appropriately implementing them.</p><p>The Home Office-led a multi-agency project for the implementation of SPOs before their introduction – this included the development of operational guidance materials and standard forms and documents for the police, as developed by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and the College of Policing.</p><p>My officials have since been continuing to work closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s stalking lead to ensure that these orders are being used appropriately. This has included establishing actions in response to points raised by the police and others, such as the establishment of a process for the sharing of best practice between forces. In October 2021 I also wrote to all Chief Constables whose forces applied for fewer SPOs than might have been expected, to encourage them to always consider applying for a Stalking Protection Order in stalking cases.</p> answering member constituency Redditch answering member printed Rachel Maclean grouped question UIN 122857 question first answered 25/02/2022 14:14:08 answering member 4668 label Biography information for Rachel Maclean
	tabling member	4790 label Biography information for Apsana Begum