The right hon. Gentleman and I share a continuing interest in, and passion for, reforming the law on stalking and harassment and ensuring that implementation is carried out. I am able to update him. As of 31 December last year, 1,402 CPS employees had undergone the training.

I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given on 17 June by my predecessor as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice, my right hon. Friend the Member for Kenilworth and Southam (Jeremy Wright) Official Report, column 584W.

Convicted stalkers are already captured on the Police National Computer. We need 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. We are working with the police and Crown Prosecution Service to raise awareness and improve professional knowledge. Since October 2012 the College of Policing training package on investigating stalking effectively has been completed over 56,000 times by police. Over 1,500 Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) staff have completed training in stalking.

In addition, the Home Secretary has established a National Oversight Group to ensure recommendations from HMIC’s Review into domestic abuse are acted upon. This includes work to improve data collection and data sharing on serial abusers.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has developed two online e-Learning courses on all types of stalking. The “Cyber Crime: Cyber Stalking” course includes cyber stalking, non-cyber stalking and harassment. The “Stalking and Harassment” course (which was released in April 2014) deals specifically with stalking and harassment offences. The CPS maintains a central record of the number of prosecutors who have been trained to deal with stalking and harassment offences by way of the e-Learning courses.

The data covers the period 1 November 2012 (the month when the Cyber Stalking e-Learning module was revised to include the new stalking offences) to 21 October 2014 and is in relation to solicitors and barristers with practising certificates. The data includes only those lawyers who have completed all elements of either the Cyber Stalking or Stalking and harassment e-Learning courses.

The numbers of staff who have completed the training are lower than those given in answers to previous Parliamentary Questions as a result of staff moves, career breaks and departures in the wider context of a reducing staff headcount. The CPS continues to train staff to deal with stalking and harassment offences on an ongoing basis.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains a central record of the number of people charged and prosecuted, however it is not possible to identify the numbers of individuals prosecuted for offences charged under specific pieces of legislation.

Figures are only held for the number of offences charged under sections 2A and 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 in cases finalised by the CPS. It is not possible to identify the number of currently active proceedings in the courts involving charges under any specific pieces of legislation.

The CPS maintains a central record of the number of offences charged, not defendants prosecuted, under sections 2A and 4A of the 1997 Act. A single defendant may be prosecuted for multiple offences.

The attached tables detail the number of offences charged under S.4A(1)(a)(b)(i) and S.4A(1)(a)(b)(ii) by each police force in England and Wales, and the number of offences charged under 2A(1) of the 1997 Act by each police force in England and Wales.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains a central record of the number of people charged and prosecuted, however it is not possible to identify the numbers of individuals prosecuted for offences charged under specific pieces of legislation.

Figures are only held for the number of offences charged under sections 2A and 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 in cases finalised by the CPS. It is not possible to identify the number of currently active proceedings in the courts involving charges under any specific pieces of legislation.

The CPS maintains a central record of the number of offences charged, not defendants prosecuted, under sections 2A and 4A of the 1997 Act. A single defendant may be prosecuted for multiple offences.

The attached tables detail the number of offences charged under S.4A(1)(a)(b)(i) and S.4A(1)(a)(b)(ii) by each police force in England and Wales, and the number of offences charged under 2A(1) of the 1997 Act by each police force in England and Wales.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains a central record of the number of people charged and prosecuted, however it is not possible to identify the numbers of individuals prosecuted for offences charged under specific pieces of legislation.

Figures are only held for the number of offences charged under sections 2A and 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 in cases finalised by the CPS. It is not possible to identify the number of currently active proceedings in the courts involving charges under any specific pieces of legislation.

The CPS maintains a central record of the number of offences charged, not defendants prosecuted, under sections 2A and 4A of the 1997 Act. A single defendant may be prosecuted for multiple offences.

The attached tables detail the number of offences charged under S.4A(1)(a)(b)(i) and S.4A(1)(a)(b)(ii) by each police force in England and Wales, and the number of offences charged under 2A(1) of the 1997 Act by each police force in England and Wales.

The Coalition Government is committed to protecting victims of stalking, which is why we introduced two new stalking offences in 2012. While we have no current plans to legislate further on this issue, we will continue to keep the legal framework under review.

The Government introduced new stalking laws in 2012 which should lead to increased action against the number of stalkers brought to justice. 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 starting to take effect. There has also been an increase in the number of convictions and numbers sentenced, under the new law, including an increasing number of custodial sentences. We will continue to keep the legislation, including sentencing outcomes, under review. Within the statutory limits set by Parliament, sentencing in individual cases is a matter for the courts.

We have no current plans to develop a specific intervention aimed at this offending group.

NOMS commissioning strategy focuses investment on higher risk/harm groups of offenders with whom interventions have a proven impact. Stalkers are a comparatively small group within the offending population with a broad range of offending behaviours which may have different underlying motives or risk factors. The needs of offenders convicted of offences involving stalking behaviour can in some cases be addressed through existing accredited offending behaviour programmes, for example, the Building Better Relationships Programme or a Sex Offender Treatment Programme. Additionally, there may be opportunities to address risk and needs through one-to-one work.

NOMS Commissioners continually bear in mind the need to examine the needs of particular offender sub groups. If it becomes apparent that there is any discrete and significant subgroup of offenders with specific needs that are not met by existing provision, our commissioning strategy will change.

Sentencing guidelines are issued by the independent Sentencing Council.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)has developed two online e-Learning courses on all types of stalking. The “Cyber Crime: Cyber Stalking” course includes cyber stalking, non-cyber stalking and harassment. The “Stalking and Harassment” course (which was released in April 2014) deals specifically with stalking and harassment offences, with emphasis on building a strong case, working closely with the police, appropriate charge selection, and engaging with victims throughout the legal process. The CPS maintains a central record of the number of prosecutors who have been trained to deal with stalking and harassment offences by way of the e-Learning courses.

The following data was extracted from the CPS HR Database and the online Prosecution College Database on 11 June 2014. The data is based on those barristers or solicitors who held a practising certificate in the relevant period and were employed by the CPS on 11 June 2014. The data covers the period 1 November 2012 (the month when the Cyber Stalking e-Learning module was revised to include the new stalking offences) to 11 June 2014.The data includes only those lawyers who have completed either the Cyber Stalking or Stalking and harassment e-Learning courses, including the evaluation modules, as the database records e-Learning based on completion of all elements of the course.

Sections 2A and 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, which were inserted by virtue of section 111 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012,have been included in the curriculum of the Probation Qualification Framework since 2012.

The Home Office has funded the development and delivery of a training package on stalking for frontline professionals which is been delivered by Women's Aid, in collaboration with Paladin, the National Stalking Advocacy Service. This training is currently taking place nationwide. The training material is also available for use by organisations and agencies to deliver sessions themselves.

Training details relating to probation staff are held locally, but have not been collected centrally and could not be collected without incurring disproportionate cost.

The most recent figures showing the number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty and sentenced to immediate custody for offences under Sections 2A and 4A of the

Protection from Harassment Act 1997, in England and Wales, from 2012 to 2013 (the latest data available), can be viewed in the following table.

The most recent figures showing the number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty and sentenced to immediate custody for offences under Sections 2A and 4A of the

Protection from Harassment Act 1997, in England and Wales, from 2012 to 2013 (the latest data available), can be viewed in the following table.

The most recent figures showing the number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty and sentenced to immediate custody for offences under Sections 2A and 4A of the

Protection from Harassment Act 1997, in England and Wales, from 2012 to 2013 (the latest data available), can be viewed in the following table.

The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 came into effect on 25 November 2012 and introduced two new offences of stalking into the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 under S2A and S4A. A table showing the number of offences charged and prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) under sections 2A and 4A that reached a first hearing in a magistrates court since these sections came into force has been deposited in the Library of the House. The data provided only shows the number of offences, not the number of people charged.

The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 came into effect on 25 November 2012 and introduced two new offences of stalking into the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 under S2A and S4A. A table showing the number of offences charged and prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) under sections 2A and 4A that reached a first hearing in a magistrates court since these sections came into force has been deposited in the Library of the House. The data provided only shows the number of offences, not the number of people charged.

The Crown Prosecution Service does not maintain a central record of the number of particular offences that are currently active in either magistrates or crown courts in England and Wales.

The CPS case management system does however record the number of finalised cases which reached a first hearing in the magistrates court as follows:

There is no indication of final outcome or if the offence charged was the offence at finalisation.

The Crown Prosecution Service does not maintain a central record of the number of particular offences that are currently active in either magistrates or crown courts in England and Wales.

The CPS case management system does however record the number of finalised cases which reached a first hearing in the magistrates court as follows:

There is no indication of final outcome or if the offence charged was the offence at finalisation.