[2] The centrepiece of the Act is the forced marriage protection order (FMPO).

[3] A person threatened with forced marriage can apply to court for a forced marriage order can contain whatever provisions which the court finds would be appropriate to prevent the forced marriage from taking place, or to protect a victim of forced marriage from its effects, and may include such measures as confiscation of passport or restrictions on contact with the victim.

A person who violates a force marriage order is subject to contempt of court proceedings and may be arrested.

Unusually, although this was a private member's bill, almost the entire contents of the bill was replaced by Government amendments in the Grand Committee, with the support of Lord Lester.

Prior to this the Children Act 1989 section 8 could be used by local authorities to issue a prohibited steps order to prevent parents from taking a child to get forcibly married.