Stalking is an insidious crime that can leave victims living in fear just going about their daily lives. The Crime Survey for England and Wales for the year ending March 2025 estimated that 3.5% of people aged 16 to 59 years had experienced stalking in the last year. The trend has been relatively flat over the last 10 years. This Government is fully committed to tackling stalking and doing all that it can to protect victims.

The Home Office part-funds the National Stalking Helpline, run by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust. This helpline ensures that victims have 24/7 access to support, advice and practical information. In FY2025-2026, the Home Office has provided £193,430.

More broadly, the VAWG Strategy published on 18 December set out clear action to tackle stalking, including the appointment of Richard Wright KC to lead the Stalking Legislation Review, ensuring the criminal law on stalking is fit for purpose. A commitment was also made to strengthen the use of Stalking Protection Orders (SPOs). This includes setting up SPO intensification sites in select forces which aim to drive up use of SPOs and provide opportunities to test innovative approaches to enforce conditions and monitor breaches, which could be adopted nationwide.

In addition, we are improving police understanding, identification and response to stalking, by ensuring all police forces implement changes following the stalking super-complaint. To provide a framework to support police and other agencies to coordinate their response to stalking cases, we are also introducing a power for the Secretary of State to issue multi-agency statutory guidance on stalking through the Crime and Policing Bill.

Stalking is an insidious crime that can leave victims living in fear just going about their daily lives. The Crime Survey for England and Wales for the year ending March 2025 estimated that 3.5% of people aged 16 to 59 years had experienced stalking in the last year. The trend has been relatively flat over the last 10 years. This Government is fully committed to tackling stalking and doing all that it can to protect victims.

The Home Office part-funds the National Stalking Helpline, run by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust. This helpline ensures that victims have 24/7 access to support, advice and practical information. In FY2025-2026, the Home Office has provided £193,430.

More broadly, the VAWG Strategy published on 18 December set out clear action to tackle stalking, including the appointment of Richard Wright KC to lead the Stalking Legislation Review, ensuring the criminal law on stalking is fit for purpose. A commitment was also made to strengthen the use of Stalking Protection Orders (SPOs). This includes setting up SPO intensification sites in select forces which aim to drive up use of SPOs and provide opportunities to test innovative approaches to enforce conditions and monitor breaches, which could be adopted nationwide.

In addition, we are improving police understanding, identification and response to stalking, by ensuring all police forces implement changes following the stalking super-complaint. To provide a framework to support police and other agencies to coordinate their response to stalking cases, we are also introducing a power for the Secretary of State to issue multi-agency statutory guidance on stalking through the Crime and Policing Bill.

Stalking is an insidious crime that can leave victims living in fear just going about their daily lives. The Crime Survey for England and Wales for the year ending March 2025 estimated that 3.5% of people aged 16 to 59 years had experienced stalking in the last year. The trend has been relatively flat over the last 10 years. This Government is fully committed to tackling stalking and doing all that it can to protect victims.

The Home Office part-funds the National Stalking Helpline, run by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust. This helpline ensures that victims have 24/7 access to support, advice and practical information. In FY2025-2026, the Home Office has provided £193,430.

More broadly, the VAWG Strategy published on 18 December set out clear action to tackle stalking, including the appointment of Richard Wright KC to lead the Stalking Legislation Review, ensuring the criminal law on stalking is fit for purpose. A commitment was also made to strengthen the use of Stalking Protection Orders (SPOs). This includes setting up SPO intensification sites in select forces which aim to drive up use of SPOs and provide opportunities to test innovative approaches to enforce conditions and monitor breaches, which could be adopted nationwide.

In addition, we are improving police understanding, identification and response to stalking, by ensuring all police forces implement changes following the stalking super-complaint. To provide a framework to support police and other agencies to coordinate their response to stalking cases, we are also introducing a power for the Secretary of State to issue multi-agency statutory guidance on stalking through the Crime and Policing Bill.

Stalking is an insidious crime that can leave victims living in fear just going about their daily lives. The Crime Survey for England and Wales for the year ending March 2025 estimated that 3.5% of people aged 16 to 59 years had experienced stalking in the last year. The trend has been relatively flat over the last 10 years. This Government is fully committed to tackling stalking and doing all that it can to protect victims.

The Home Office part-funds the National Stalking Helpline, run by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust. This helpline ensures that victims have 24/7 access to support, advice and practical information. In FY2025-2026, the Home Office has provided £193,430.

More broadly, the VAWG Strategy published on 18 December set out clear action to tackle stalking, including the appointment of Richard Wright KC to lead the Stalking Legislation Review, ensuring the criminal law on stalking is fit for purpose. A commitment was also made to strengthen the use of Stalking Protection Orders (SPOs). This includes setting up SPO intensification sites in select forces which aim to drive up use of SPOs and provide opportunities to test innovative approaches to enforce conditions and monitor breaches, which could be adopted nationwide.

In addition, we are improving police understanding, identification and response to stalking, by ensuring all police forces implement changes following the stalking super-complaint. To provide a framework to support police and other agencies to coordinate their response to stalking cases, we are also introducing a power for the Secretary of State to issue multi-agency statutory guidance on stalking through the Crime and Policing Bill.

Stalking is an insidious crime that can leave victims living in fear just going about their daily lives. The Crime Survey for England and Wales for the year ending March 2025 estimated that 3.5% of people aged 16 to 59 years had experienced stalking in the last year. The trend has been relatively flat over the last 10 years. This Government is fully committed to tackling stalking and doing all that it can to protect victims.

The Home Office part-funds the National Stalking Helpline, run by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust. This helpline ensures that victims have 24/7 access to support, advice and practical information. In FY2025-2026, the Home Office has provided £193,430.

More broadly, the VAWG Strategy published on 18 December set out clear action to tackle stalking, including the appointment of Richard Wright KC to lead the Stalking Legislation Review, ensuring the criminal law on stalking is fit for purpose. A commitment was also made to strengthen the use of Stalking Protection Orders (SPOs). This includes setting up SPO intensification sites in select forces which aim to drive up use of SPOs and provide opportunities to test innovative approaches to enforce conditions and monitor breaches, which could be adopted nationwide.

In addition, we are improving police understanding, identification and response to stalking, by ensuring all police forces implement changes following the stalking super-complaint. To provide a framework to support police and other agencies to coordinate their response to stalking cases, we are also introducing a power for the Secretary of State to issue multi-agency statutory guidance on stalking through the Crime and Policing Bill.

We have interpreted these Parliamentary Questions as relating to transgender women in the prison estate.

Transgender women with birth genitalia and/or any history of sexual or violent offences – including individuals with a Gender Recognition Certificate – cannot be held in the general women’s estate other than in exceptional circumstances, where an exemption has been granted by Ministers. No transgender women have received such an exemption under this Government.

Placement decisions for transgender prisoners are determined by a Complex Case Board (CCB) - a multidisciplinary panel of experts. Whilst possession of a Gender Recognition Certificate is a consideration, it is one of a range of risk and vulnerabilities that are considered - including offending history and mental health conditions - and does not take precedence. CCBs assess both risk that the individual may face to and from others.

The very small number of transgender women who fail to meet the high-risk threshold we have set for being accommodated in the general women’s estate, but who are too vulnerable to be held in the men’s estate are housed on E Wing at HMP/YOI Downview. They are accommodated completely separately to biological women, in a discrete building behind a gated fence. Despite being on the site of HMP/YOI Downview, E Wing is not part of the general women’s estate, and E Wing prisoners can only access the prison's wider regime under supervision, and where a local risk assessment deems this appropriate.

As of 1 April 2026, fewer than five transgender women were being held in the general women's prison estate. None of these has convictions for sexual or stalking offences. We cannot comment on individual cases.

There have been no assaults or sexual assaults committed by transgender women in the general women's estate in the last five years. The number of safeguarding alerts involving transgender prisoners placed in the women’s estate over the last five years can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

We are working through the implications of the 2025 Supreme Court ruling on the definition of ‘sex’ in the Equality Act 2010, and the Government is considering the draft updated Code of Practice produced by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Once this process has been completed, we will confirm any updates to the transgender prisoner allocation policy.

We have interpreted these Parliamentary Questions as relating to transgender women in the prison estate.

Transgender women with birth genitalia and/or any history of sexual or violent offences – including individuals with a Gender Recognition Certificate – cannot be held in the general women’s estate other than in exceptional circumstances, where an exemption has been granted by Ministers. No transgender women have received such an exemption under this Government.

Placement decisions for transgender prisoners are determined by a Complex Case Board (CCB) - a multidisciplinary panel of experts. Whilst possession of a Gender Recognition Certificate is a consideration, it is one of a range of risk and vulnerabilities that are considered - including offending history and mental health conditions - and does not take precedence. CCBs assess both risk that the individual may face to and from others.

The very small number of transgender women who fail to meet the high-risk threshold we have set for being accommodated in the general women’s estate, but who are too vulnerable to be held in the men’s estate are housed on E Wing at HMP/YOI Downview. They are accommodated completely separately to biological women, in a discrete building behind a gated fence. Despite being on the site of HMP/YOI Downview, E Wing is not part of the general women’s estate, and E Wing prisoners can only access the prison's wider regime under supervision, and where a local risk assessment deems this appropriate.

As of 1 April 2026, fewer than five transgender women were being held in the general women's prison estate. None of these has convictions for sexual or stalking offences. We cannot comment on individual cases.

There have been no assaults or sexual assaults committed by transgender women in the general women's estate in the last five years. The number of safeguarding alerts involving transgender prisoners placed in the women’s estate over the last five years can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

We are working through the implications of the 2025 Supreme Court ruling on the definition of ‘sex’ in the Equality Act 2010, and the Government is considering the draft updated Code of Practice produced by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Once this process has been completed, we will confirm any updates to the transgender prisoner allocation policy.

The Government continues to take steps to protect the UK public from crimes linked to the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI). This includes when AI is used to aid or facilitate stalking and harassment.

The Online Safety Act already regulates many generative AI services. However, the Government acknowledges that gaps remain, leading to inconsistent coverage of certain AI chatbot services.

We are addressing these gaps as a matter of urgency through an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill. Through a new delegated power, we will be able to bring currently unregulated AI chatbots into the scope of the Online Safety Act. This will ensure they are subject to requirements to protect users from illegal content and activity.

We are also taking action on so called ‘nudification’ tools, legislating through the Crime and Policing Bill to criminalise the development and supply of tools for generating non-consensual intimate images.

Beyond these measures, we will continue to work closely with law enforcement to tackle the harms presented by AI. The National Centre for VAWG and Public Protection (NCVPP) continues to act as the subject matter expert on ongoing work relating to AI and VAWG in policing, to ensure that safeguarding is a core part of AI tools and models.

Domestic Abuse Awareness and Stalking Awareness learning is available to all those working in HMPPS.

Training on stalking is embedded within probation practitioners’ mandatory domestic abuse and safeguarding learning. All probation staff complete Domestic Abuse Awareness learning every three years, with practitioners undertaking additional facilitated, advanced and specialist learning, including on stalking and Spousal Assault Risk Assessment, to support effective risk identification and management.

Alongside this learning there are general continuous professional development resources on stalking (such as stalking workbook, videos) that can be accessed by staff both in the Prison and Probation Service.

The Home Office has awarded over £19 million for this financial year (2025/26) to continue the work of 27 Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to commission domestic abuse and stalking perpetrator interventions in their local areas as part of the Domestic Abuse and Stalking Perpetrator Intervention Fund. Hampshire and Isle of Wight PCC has been a recipient of this fund since 2023. In this financial year (2025/26) Hampshire and Isle of Wight PCC was allocated £532,348.

In December 2025, we confirmed the continuation of funding of the current Domestic Abuse and Stalking Perpetrator Intervention Fund for a period of six months from April 2026 to provide continuity to these vital services ahead of anticipated future funding, which will be opened to all PCCs across England and Wales. Further information on the next steps for future perpetrator intervention funding will be provided in due course.

The ‘Freedom from Violence and Abuse: a cross – government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls’ was published on 18^th December. This Strategy aims to disrupt perpetrators in the community and reduce revictimisation by committing to expanding access to tailored interventions for domestic abuse and stalking perpetrators, from first-time offenders to higher-risk perpetrators. Further to this we will prioritise rapid expansion of the Drive Project, ensuring that across England and Wales, there is access to a proven response for the most dangerous domestic abuse perpetrators.

The scale of violence against women and girls in our country is intolerable, and this Government is treating it as the national emergency that it is.

The Government committed in its manifesto to giving stalking victims the right to know the true identity of their online stalker. Through the Crime and Policing Bill, we are introducing statutory guidance to support the police to release identifying information about a stalker to a victim, so victims can know who is threatening them.

The Crime and Policing Bill will also enable the Home Secretary to issue statutory guidance about the disclosure of information to prevent sexual offending. This will ensure the Child Sex Offender Disclosure Scheme and any similar schemes in the future are delivered consistently by all forces.

The Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme currently enables the police to disclose information to a victim or potential victim of domestic abuse about their partner’s or ex-partner's previous abusive or violent offending.

In the recently published Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy we committed to exploring the potential to expand both the stalking Right to Know scheme and the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme to other forms of violence against women and girls.

Tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a top priority for this Government and the VAWG Strategy published on 18 December sets out clear action to tackle stalking as a part of this.

We have appointed Richard Wright KC to lead a review of the stalking legislation. The review will consider whether the criminal law on stalking needs to change to ensure the police and wider criminal justice partners have the clearest possible framework for effective identification, management and prosecution of stalking cases. The scope of the review includes the stalking offences in the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 and, due to their intertwined nature, the harassment offences in the same Act. As part of this, the review will also consider the classification of stalking offences as either-way or summary-only and this includes consideration of the statutory time limits involved. The review will recommend options for reform where appropriate.

The full review, including any recommendations, must be submitted to the Secretary of State by the end of March 2026.

Tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a top priority for this Government and the VAWG Strategy published on 18 December sets out clear action to tackle stalking as a part of this.

We have appointed Richard Wright KC to lead a review of the stalking legislation. The review will consider whether the criminal law on stalking needs to change to ensure the police and wider criminal justice partners have the clearest possible framework for effective identification, management and prosecution of stalking cases. The scope of the review includes the stalking offences in the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 and, due to their intertwined nature, the harassment offences in the same Act. As part of this, the review will also consider the classification of stalking offences as either-way or summary-only and this includes consideration of the statutory time limits involved. The review will recommend options for reform where appropriate.

The full review, including any recommendations, must be submitted to the Secretary of State by the end of March 2026.