Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Bill [HL]

We do not, wherever possible, want delay. I believe that that is the answer the noble Lord is looking for. There is a genuine desire to avoid it. We have discussed with the judiciary how to ensure that action can be taken very quickly if necessary. As the noble Lord will know, there are issues about the geographical jurisdiction within which county court judges and High Court judges operate and how we might ensure that those involved can talk to each other. Those issues are under discussion. The noble Lord’s principal point is right; these are distressing circumstances. Again, within the overarching strategy on domestic violence, it is important that these issues can be dealt with as quickly and properly as possible. There must be a balance between the two when giving information to the judiciary so that they can act properly. As I understand it, there is an emergency remedy and powers of arrest can be used within 24 hours, so we have already some of the necessary measures. The noble Lord is right that it is absolutely critical to ensure that this is done properly, effectively and speedily.