Member

I think it is important for the Committee and my noble friend to understand that there is an interim measure, and we can debate whether that is sufficient. In fact, just to repeat, it is called an interim service stalking protection order. This order allows the court to impose temporary protective measures on the defendant before the main application is determined by the service court and can be made on application by the same provost marshal who submitted the main application, either at the same time or subsequently. This ensures that urgent protection can be granted without waiting for the final decision on the substantive order. It also maintains parity with the civilian criminal justice system—a point that my noble friend Lady Royall made as well—ensuring that victims of stalking in the service justice system are afforded the same protections as those available to stalking victims in England and Wales.