| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | An Act to make provision for protecting persons from harassment and similar conduct. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 1997 c. 40 |
| Territorial extent | England, Wales, Scotland except that Section 13 extends to Northern Ireland |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 21 March 1997 |
| Commencement | Except for sections 1 to 12, the Act came into force on 21 March 1997.[2] Sections 1 to 3(2) and 4 to 12 came into force on 16 June 1997.[3] Sections 3(3) to (9) came into force on 1 September 1998.[4] |
| Other legislation | |
| Amended by | Police Reform Act 2002 Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 |
| Relates to | Stalking Protection Act 2019 |
Status: Amended | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Revised text of statute as amended | |
The Protection from Harassment Act 1997 (c. 40) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. On introducing the Bill's second reading in the House of Lords, the Lord Chancellor, Lord Mackay of Clashfern, said, "The aim of this Bill is to protect the victims of harassment. It will protect all such victims whatever the source of the harassment—so-called stalking behaviour, racial harassment, or anti-social behaviour by neighbours."[5] Home Office guidance on the Act[6] says "The legislation was always intended to tackle stalking, but the offences were drafted to tackle any form of persistent conduct which causes another person alarm or distress."
Infield and Platford described the Act as "controversial".[7]
- ^ The citation of this Act by this short title is authorised by section 16 of this Act.
- ^ The Interpretation Act 1978, section 4(b)
- ^ SI 1997/1418, art 2; SI 1997/1498, art 2
- ^ SI 1998/1902, art 2
- ^ HL Deb 24 January 1997 vol 577 cc 917-43
- ^ Home Office circular 018/2012
- ^ Infield, Paul; Platford, Graham. The Law of Harassment and Stalking. Butterworths. London, Edinburgh, Dublin. 2000. p. x.