§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the rules of court to be completed for section 3 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997; and if he will make a statement. [17738]
§ Mr. HoonI have been asked to reply.
Section 3 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 introduces, amongst other things, the power for a civil court to grant relief to a victim of harassment by way of an injunction and whereby the breach of an injunction granted by that civil court may be dealt with as a criminal offence. Subsections 3(1) and 3(2) are in force, and breach of an injunction made under those subsections may at present be punished as a contempt of court by up to two years' imprisonment. Rules and forms for subsections 3(3)-3(9) have been drafted for use by the High Court, county courts, the Crown Court and magistrates' courts to ensure that the process of treating a breach as a criminal offence works effectively. Consultation on these is under way and, as soon as it is complete, the outstanding subsections will be commenced.