Member

I turn now to new clause 43, tabled by the hon. Member for Tunbridge Wells (Mike Martin), who referred to his meeting with the Minister for Safeguarding, my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham Yardley (Jess Phillips) just yesterday. I reassure him that tackling public sexual harassment is an important part of our mission to halve levels of violence against women and girls in a decade. We are continuing to consider measures to address sex-based harassment, including the commencement of this legislation. The new violence against women and girls strategy will set out improvements in the way that we will tackle sexual harassment. The strategy is due to be published before the summer recess. His new clause would tie commencement of the Act to the timelines of this Bill, however, when it is important that it is brought into force following the conclusion of our work with the police and other agencies, so that its introduction is managed effectively. It therefore needs to be commenced by regulation, in the normal way.