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100480

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Stalking
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what further training is planned for (a) the probation service, (b) magistrates and (c) judges on the new stalking laws.
tabling member constituency	Mid Bedfordshire
tabling member printed	Nadine Dorries
uin	211540
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p><strong>(a)</strong> The National Probation Service is a new organisation that has only been in existence since June 2014. The Professional Skills Training team are in the process of putting together the national training plan and stalking awareness will be part of this.</p><p> </p><p>(<strong>b</strong>) &amp; <strong>(c)</strong> The responsibility for judicial training for courts judiciary lies with the Lord Chief Justice as head of the judiciary and is exercised through the Judicial College. Magistrates sit with legal advisers in court who advise them on the law.</p><p> </p><p>The new stalking laws came from the amendments made to the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 by the Protection of Freedom Act 2012. The Judicial College provides regular updates to judges and legal advisers on any changes to the law via a jurisdictional electronic internal newsletter, and did so in respect of these provisions in June 2012.</p><p> </p><p>The Home Office also issued a circular [Ref: 018/2012] on the new provisions in October 2012. This was issued to the Association Of Chief Police Officers (in England And Wales And Northern Ireland), Association Of Magisterial Officers, Central Council Of Magistrates Courts, Justices Clerks Society, Law Society, Magistrates Association, Ministry of Justice, and the Judicial College.</p><p> </p><p>In addition the Justices Clerks Society also issued a circular to their members outlining the new provisions in December 2012.</p><p> </p><p>The Judicial College regularly assesses judicial training needs and how to meet them. Ultimately, judges use the law to make independent decisions based on the evidence and information provided to them in court.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara question first answered 03/11/2014 16:40:29 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
tabling member	1481 label Biography information for Ms Nadine Dorries

100481

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
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 monitor the effects of section 2A and 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.
tabling member constituency	Mid Bedfordshire
tabling member printed	Nadine Dorries
uin	211541
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/10/2014 answer text <p>The College of Policing sets standards and provides relevant training products and services to police forces. This includes a College of Policing training package on stalking, which was completed 56,748 times between October 2012 and 30 September 2014 by police officers and staff in England and Wales, and continues to be available.<br><br>Neither the College of Policing nor the Home Office holds information which breaks this figure down by the number of police officers and staff in England and Wales that have completed the training.<br><br>In 2013-14, 743 prosecutions were commenced under the new stalking legislation. This is a significant increase from 2012-13 and shows that the legislation is taking effect. <br><br>We are also working with the police and Crown Prosecution Service to raise awareness and improve professional knowledge. <br><br>To ensure prosecutors’ knowledge is continuously refreshed, in April 2014, the CPS launched a specific e-learning module on stalking which focused on victim support, working with the police and ensuring a strong case is built from the start. The College of Policing is also undertaking a review of how stalking incidents are investigated by the police. This will include how the police understand what constitutes a course of conduct in policing, how the police support victims, and further training on the appropriate use of Police Information Notices.<br><br>Since April 2014, offences of stalking and harassment are being reported separately in Police Recorded Crime figures. This will allow us to monitor the impact of the legislation more effectively. <br><br>Convicted stalkers will already be captured on the Police National Computer. We are working to make better use of existing databases and improve connectivity and information sharing rather than creating new databases or registers for each and every offence.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Lewes answering member printed Norman Baker grouped question UIN 211539 211543 question first answered 31/10/2014 15:06:20 answering member 28 label Biography information for Norman Baker
tabling member	1481 label Biography information for Ms Nadine Dorries

100482

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
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, whether the Government plans to introduce a register for serial stalkers.
tabling member constituency	Mid Bedfordshire
tabling member printed	Nadine Dorries
uin	211543
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/10/2014 answer text <p>The College of Policing sets standards and provides relevant training products and services to police forces. This includes a College of Policing training package on stalking, which was completed 56,748 times between October 2012 and 30 September 2014 by police officers and staff in England and Wales, and continues to be available.<br><br>Neither the College of Policing nor the Home Office holds information which breaks this figure down by the number of police officers and staff in England and Wales that have completed the training.<br><br>In 2013-14, 743 prosecutions were commenced under the new stalking legislation. This is a significant increase from 2012-13 and shows that the legislation is taking effect. <br><br>We are also working with the police and Crown Prosecution Service to raise awareness and improve professional knowledge. <br><br>To ensure prosecutors’ knowledge is continuously refreshed, in April 2014, the CPS launched a specific e-learning module on stalking which focused on victim support, working with the police and ensuring a strong case is built from the start. The College of Policing is also undertaking a review of how stalking incidents are investigated by the police. This will include how the police understand what constitutes a course of conduct in policing, how the police support victims, and further training on the appropriate use of Police Information Notices.<br><br>Since April 2014, offences of stalking and harassment are being reported separately in Police Recorded Crime figures. This will allow us to monitor the impact of the legislation more effectively. <br><br>Convicted stalkers will already be captured on the Police National Computer. We are working to make better use of existing databases and improve connectivity and information sharing rather than creating new databases or registers for each and every offence.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Lewes answering member printed Norman Baker grouped question UIN 211539 211541 question first answered 31/10/2014 15:06:20 answering member 28 label Biography information for Norman Baker
tabling member	1481 label Biography information for Ms Nadine Dorries

100487

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Stalking
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many magistrates in England and Wales have been given training on the new laws on stalking to date.
tabling member constituency	Mid Bedfordshire
tabling member printed	Nadine Dorries
uin	211545
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The responsibility for the training of Magistrates lies with the Lord Chief Justice as head of the judiciary and is exercised through the Judicial College.</p><p> </p><p>Magistrates sit with legal advisers in court who advise them on the law. The Judicial College is not responsible for teaching and updating Legal Advisers on the law. However, reference to any relevant law will be made at training events for the topics being covered.</p><p> </p><p>The Judicial College provides regular updates to Legal Advisers on any changes to the law via a jurisdictional electronic internal newsletter and did so in respect of these provisions in June 2012. In addition, the Home Office also issued a circular [Ref: 018/2012] on the new provisions in October 2012, and the Justices Clerks Society issued a circular to their members outlining the new provisions in December 2012.</p><p> </p><p>The Judicial College regularly assesses judicial training needs and how to meet them. Ultimately, magistrates use the law to make independent decisions based on the evidence and information provided to them in court.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara question first answered 03/11/2014 16:34:59 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
tabling member	1481 label Biography information for Ms Nadine Dorries

100488

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Stalking
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many judges in England and Wales have been given training on the new laws on stalking to date.
tabling member constituency	Mid Bedfordshire
tabling member printed	Nadine Dorries
uin	211546
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The responsibility for the training of judges lies with the Lord Chief Justice as head of the judiciary and is exercised through the Judicial College.</p><p> </p><p>The Judicial College is not responsible for teaching and updating judges on the law; judges are professional lawyers and are expected to keep themselves up to date. However, reference to any relevant law will be made at training events for the topics covered. The Judicial College provides regular updates to judges on any changes to the law via a jurisdictional electronic internal newsletter and did so in respect of these provisions in June 2012.</p><p> </p><p>The Judicial College regularly assesses judicial training needs and how to meet them. Ultimately, judges use the law to make independent decisions based on the evidence and information provided to them in court.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara question first answered 03/11/2014 16:12:46 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
tabling member	1481 label Biography information for Ms Nadine Dorries

100489

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Stalking
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been convicted under the provisions of section 4a of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997; and how many such people received a custodial sentence.
tabling member constituency	Mid Bedfordshire
tabling member printed	Nadine Dorries
uin	211535
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The stalking offences under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, sections 2A (stalking) and 4A (stalking involving fear of violence or serious alarm or distress), have been available from 25 November 2012. The section 2A offence has a maximum penalty of six months’ imprisonment and/or a fine, and the section 4A offence has a maximum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment.</p><p> </p><p>The number of people convicted under sections 2A and 4A in 2012 and 2013 and those receiving custodial sentence can be viewed at the table below.</p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="4"><p><em>Defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty and sentenced to immediate custody at all courts of offences under Sections 2A and 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, England and Wales, 2012 to 2013<sup>1,2,3</sup></em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><em>Section of Act</em></p></td><td><p><em>Outcome</em></p></td><td><p><em>2012</em></p></td><td><p><em>2013</em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Section 2A<sup>4</sup></p></td><td><p>Proceeded against</p></td><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>293</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Found guilty</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>196</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Sentenced</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>192</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><em>Of which:</em></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Immediate custody</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>35</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><em>Of which:</em></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>up to 12 months</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>35</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>12 to 24 months</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>over 24 months</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Section 4A<sup>5</sup></p></td><td><p>Proceeded against</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>154</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Found guilty</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>53</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Sentenced</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>42</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><em>Of which:</em></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Immediate custody</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>14</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><em>Of which:</em></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>up to 12 months</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>10</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>12 to 24 months</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>over 24 months</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="4"><p><sup>1</sup> The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. <sup>2</sup> Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. <sup>3</sup> The number of offenders sentenced can differ from those found guilty as it may be the case that a defendant found guilty in a particular year, and committed for sentence at the Crown Court, may be sentenced in the following year. <sup>4</sup> Pursue course of conduct in breach of S.1(1) of the Act which amounts to stalking. <sup>5</sup> Stalking involving fear of violence or serious alarm and distress. <em>Note:</em> Offences introduced 25 November 2012. <em>Source:</em> Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara grouped question UIN 211536 question first answered 03/11/2014 16:04:05 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
tabling member	1481 label Biography information for Ms Nadine Dorries

100490

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Stalking
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been convicted under the provisions of section 2A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997; and how many such people received a custodial sentence.
tabling member constituency	Mid Bedfordshire
tabling member printed	Nadine Dorries
uin	211536
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The stalking offences under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, sections 2A (stalking) and 4A (stalking involving fear of violence or serious alarm or distress), have been available from 25 November 2012. The section 2A offence has a maximum penalty of six months’ imprisonment and/or a fine, and the section 4A offence has a maximum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment.</p><p> </p><p>The number of people convicted under sections 2A and 4A in 2012 and 2013 and those receiving custodial sentence can be viewed at the table below.</p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="4"><p><em>Defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty and sentenced to immediate custody at all courts of offences under Sections 2A and 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, England and Wales, 2012 to 2013<sup>1,2,3</sup></em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><em>Section of Act</em></p></td><td><p><em>Outcome</em></p></td><td><p><em>2012</em></p></td><td><p><em>2013</em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Section 2A<sup>4</sup></p></td><td><p>Proceeded against</p></td><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>293</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Found guilty</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>196</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Sentenced</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>192</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><em>Of which:</em></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Immediate custody</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>35</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><em>Of which:</em></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>up to 12 months</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>35</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>12 to 24 months</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>over 24 months</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Section 4A<sup>5</sup></p></td><td><p>Proceeded against</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>154</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Found guilty</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>53</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Sentenced</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>42</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><em>Of which:</em></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Immediate custody</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>14</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><em>Of which:</em></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>up to 12 months</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>10</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>12 to 24 months</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>over 24 months</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="4"><p><sup>1</sup> The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. <sup>2</sup> Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. <sup>3</sup> The number of offenders sentenced can differ from those found guilty as it may be the case that a defendant found guilty in a particular year, and committed for sentence at the Crown Court, may be sentenced in the following year. <sup>4</sup> Pursue course of conduct in breach of S.1(1) of the Act which amounts to stalking. <sup>5</sup> Stalking involving fear of violence or serious alarm and distress. <em>Note:</em> Offences introduced 25 November 2012. <em>Source:</em> Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara grouped question UIN 211535 question first answered 03/11/2014 16:04:05 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
tabling member	1481 label Biography information for Ms Nadine Dorries