{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/protection-from-stalking-act-northern-ireland-2022/section-17",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/protection-from-stalking-act-northern-ireland-2022/section-17.json",
  "legislation": "nia/2022/17",
  "legislation_title": "Protection from Stalking Act (Northern Ireland) 2022",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/protection-from-stalking-act-northern-ireland-2022",
  "path": "section/17",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "17",
  "heading": "Guidance",
  "text": "(1) The Department must issue guidance about—\n(a) the effect of this Act,\n(b) such other matters as the Department considers appropriate as to criminal law or procedure relating to stalking in Northern Ireland, and\n(c) the exercise of the Chief Constable’s functions under the provisions of this Act relating to stalking protection orders or interim stalking protection orders.\n(2) A person exercising public functions to whom guidance issued under this section relates must have regard to it in the exercise of those functions.\n(3) The Department may, from time to time, revise the guidance issued under subsection (1).\n(4) The Department must—\n(a) keep any guidance issued under this section under review, and\n(b) revise any guidance issued under this section if the Department considers revision to be necessary in light of review.\n(5) The Department must arrange for any guidance issued or revised under this section to be published in such manner as the Department considers appropriate.\n(6) The Department must lay before the Assembly any guidance issued or revised under this section.\n(7) Nothing in this section permits the Department to issue guidance to a court or tribunal.",
  "extent": "N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "S. 17 not in operation at Royal Assent, see s. 22(2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I2",
      "text": "S. 17 in operation at 19.10.2023 by S.R. 2023/174, art. 2"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "words substituted",
      "affecting": "ukpga/2026/20",
      "affecting_title": "Crime and Policing Act 2026"
    },
    {
      "type": "inserted",
      "affecting": "ukpga/2026/20",
      "affecting_title": "Crime and Policing Act 2026"
    },
    {
      "type": "words substituted",
      "affecting": "ukpga/2026/20",
      "affecting_title": "Crime and Policing Act 2026"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nia/2022/17/section/17",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T20:19:22.116321+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}