Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order in protecting victims.

Sexual Harm Prevention Orders (SHPOs) are civil orders that are available to the police, on conviction or application to the court, to manage the risk posed by registered sex offenders and those who pose a risk of sexual harm.

SHPOs can be applied to anyone convicted or cautioned for a sexual or violent offence, including where offences are committed overseas. It can place a range of restrictions and/or requirements on individuals depending on the nature of the case, such as limiting their internet use, preventing travel abroad or attending a drug or alcohol treatment or behaviour change programme. Courts may impose prohibitions tailored to the offender's behaviour and assessed risk. Breach is a criminal offence punishable by a maximum of 5 years’ imprisonment.

The Government has awarded £99,367 through the Cabinet Office's Evaluation Accelerator Fund to support an evaluation of the effectiveness of SHPOs in reducing reoffending and improving offender management.