§ Mr. WallaceTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will consider strengthening the Scottish criminal law against persons making anonymous and threatening or abusive telephone calls; and if he will make a statement.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonAny person identified as having made such calls may be prosecuted for an offence under the Telecommunications Act 1984, where the maximum penalty would be a £400 fine. In serious cases, such a person may be prosecuted for any one or more of a range of common law offences, for which, if taken on indictment before the High Court, the maximum penalties would be an unlimited fine and life imprisonment. I consider these sanctions to be adequate.