§ The Lord President of the Council (Baroness Amos)My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
The Government have received the first report from the Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice in Northern Ireland, Kit Chivers. The report is on the management of sex offenders in Northern Ireland and has today been published.
The Government warmly welcome this report which recognises the excellent work in this field being done by those agencies involved in public protection and identifies a number of areas for possible future development. I shall be considering very carefully the inspection's key recommendations. I have no doubt that the report will be of value in informing and reassuring the public about the steps already being taken to manage the risks posed by sex offenders in the community. and in helping managers and staff who are involved in this challenging area of work.