To ask the Minister of Justice how his Department is working with arm's-length bodies to address cyber bullying and harassment.

The Department of Justice, through the local Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) network, has done much to develop internet safety and tackle the growing prevalence of cyberbullying and some of its very harmful consequences.

This work is directed at safeguarding young people in the digital world and educating them so they feel safe when accessing e-technologies. PCSPs, in partnership with Health Trusts and PSNI, have developed a range of e-safety resources for children, parents and practitioners on internet and on-line safety, sexting, cyberbullying and reporting abuse.

The Youth Justice Agency is represented, at committee level, on the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland which has been commissioned to develop a Northern Ireland e-safety strategy on behalf of the Northern Ireland Executive. I look forward to the publication of this strategy and will consider how my Department can best contribute to its success.

Harassment and bullying are already criminal offences in Northern Ireland, whether perpetrated directly or in the form of cyber bullying. The maximum penalty for harassment is two years imprisonment, which may be increased to seven years where there is the threat of violence, or 10 years where a person threatens to kill another.

In addition, recent changes to the law introduced by the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 have increased the penalties for certain offences under the Malicious Communications Act 1988 to a maximum of two years imprisonment.

Whilst I have no further plans to change our laws at this time, along with my officials, I will be keeping developments in other jurisdictions under review.