§ Mr. DalyellTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his proposals to set up a mechanism to track paedophiles throughout the United Kingdom. [23738]
§ Mr. McLeish[holding answer 19 January 1998]: The Sex Offenders Act 1997, which came into force on 1 September 1997, requires certain convicted sex offenders, including those who have been convicted for sexual offences against children, to register with the police their name, current address and date of birth, and any subsequent changes to these details. This is a UK Act, which will help the police in each territorial jurisdiction to keep track of such offenders even when they move between jurisdictions.
Section 48 of the Crime and Punishment (Scotland) Act 1997, which was brought into force in November 1997, extended police powers to take DNA and other samples from persons convicted of certain serious sexual or violent offences. This will significantly enhance the national DNA database, which is a vital tool in the investigation of such crimes.
The Sex Offender Orders, proposed in the Crime and Disorder Bill currently before Parliament, will provide a further measure of protection for the public by prohibiting behaviour by convicted sex offenders where that is causing concern for public safety, and obliging them to register with the police.
I know that the police in Scotland are fully committed to their operational role in monitoring the whereabouts of known sex offenders and given that the Sex Offenders Act is a UK measure there is full co-operation between Forces across the UK.