I thank the Minister for his comprehensive remarks and for his explanation about why Clause 15 is being replaced. I sought advice
from the noble Baroness, Lady Newlove, and from other organisations which I knew had been in discussion with the Government. I am advised that the reason the Government have put forward their amendment is that they have met stakeholders and that the original plan to place ISVAs and IDVAs in the Bill was a concern that came from the violence against women and girls sector and was shared by the children’s sector and modern slavery and stalking charities. There was a concern about creating a hierarchy and, therefore, I understand the Government’s motivation for replacing Clause 15.
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The point that I will make echoes that from the noble Baroness, Lady Brinton. The Minister needs to understand that there is scepticism in this Chamber about whether things are going to move and work. We need to be sure that all those issues—and stalking—will have the power of compulsion that we need them to have to make the Bill work. The test we might have at the next stage is how we can be sure that the regulations and guidance will do what we want them to in all these important areas. While the Minister listed all the things that have been done about stalking, the truth is that it has not worked yet, and so we have to be coherent.
I am not one for placing bets about things on this side of the Chamber. However, I think the Minister might find some stalking amendments coming down the track in the justice and crime Bill that is coming after this—I may even have seen a draft of one. That is because there is a need to address all the bits of the criminal justice system to do that.
I thank the noble Baronesses, Lady Brinton, Lady Meacher and Lady Newlove, and the noble Lord, Lord Russell, for taking part in this debate, which I think was useful. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.