§ 62. Mr. Michael McNair-Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has decided to seek to alter the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act to allow information about a wanted offender to be released to the public.
§ Mr. MellorThe requirement of anonymity for a person accused of rape provided by section 6 of the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1976 applies only after an information has been laid or the defendant has appeared before a court; it needs not hinder inquiries, including the release of information about a person the police wish to interview, up to that point. As my hon. Friend is aware, we are giving sympathetic consideration to the proposal of the Criminal Law Revision Committee that section 6 should be repealed.