Policing and Crime Bill

My Lords, the Minister and, indeed, the noble Baronesses must be surprised to see this amendment because—in theory, anyway—it should not be necessary. However, it is intended to probe the various penalties and procedures that will be applicable for a breach of an injunction and to protect against any possibility that a respondent might find himself sucked into the court system to such an extent that he faces going to jail without ever having been given the opportunity to defend himself with all the privileges of a more normal criminal proceeding. There is the customary lack of clarity and detail in the Bill as to what penalties the court will be able to impose for a breach of an injunction and I look forward to hearing the Minister explain the process to my satisfaction. No matter what else, there must be absolute clarity that a respondent has access to the full rights of the law including representation, access to evidence and a proper burden of proof, before matters can escalate to such levels as imprisonment. I beg to move.