§ Mr. ChopeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it a policy of the Government to require those convicted of crimes, who are provided with a new identity upon their release, to contribute to the costs involved where they have the means to do so. [163151]
§ Paul Goggins[holding answer 23 March 2004]: Most of the very small number of convicted criminals who need new identities on release from prison do so because, at some point in the criminal proceedings, they have decided to turn Queen's Evidence and appear as witnesses for the prosecution against their former partners in crime. Since in doing this they have helped to convict other (often more serious) offenders, then it is cost-effective for the state to offer to pay for any necessary change to their identity, and any other associated costs. In other cases the state is required to take reasonable steps to fulfil its duty to protect the lives of those threatened by others. Only in the most exceptional circumstances would this include a formal change of identity and only where the threat to life is clearly evidenced and the change of identity considered appropriate by the police.