MSPs to consider paedophile law
9 Sep 05
Scottish Executive to look into changing law on information released on sex offenders
MSPs are to consider proposals to introduce a law that would see parents being told when a paedophile moves to their area.
Holyrood’s public petitions committee has decided the Scottish parliament justice committee and the Executive should look at changing the law on how much information communities receive on sex offenders.
The move has been welcomed by Margaret Ann-Cummings, the mother of a schoolboy murdered by a known sex offender living in the area, who delivered a 6,000-signature petition to the Scottish parliament calling for legislation to be reviewed.
However the Executive continues to state that “naming and shaming” paedophiles would not improve public safety.
Ministers have launched initiatives to improve public confidence in the monitoring of sex offenders and are considering an independent report on introducing a sex offenders’ register. But they are opposed to revealing the location of paedophiles, fearing it would lead to vigilante attacks.
An Executive spokesman said: “We believe that disclosure of information about sex offenders is best undertaken on a case-by-case basis by police, in consultation with relevant agencies such as local authority social work departments.”