Asked by: Lord Lucas (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to amend Home Office guidance "so that only enrolled deed polls (through the Royal Courts of Justice) are accepted as a proof of name change", as set out in their response, dated 24 November 2020, to the petition Revoke the right of registered sex offenders to change their name by deed poll; and what assessment they have made of the impact the consequent publication of old names, new names and addresses will have on those who (1) have changed their names to avoid danger, and (2) may be in danger as a result of such publication.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The UK has some of the toughest powers in the world to deal with sex offenders. These include the notification requirements, which require registered sex offenders to notify their personal details, including their name and address, to the police. They must do this annually and whenever their details change. Failure to do so constitutes a breach which is punishable by up to 5 years’ imprisonment.
Home Office Ministers have written to the Master of Rolls and the Royal Courts of Justice requesting that a Judicial Working Group should consider criminality in regard to the enrolled deed poll process. Once the Judicial Working Group has completed its work, we will consider whether it is necessary to amend our existing Home Office guidance to better protect the public.
Should a change be made to the guidance, in the course of making the change we will take careful consideration of any potential impacts, including in relation to the protection of the people who have changed their name to avoid danger.
Asked by: Lord Lucas (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the change in rates of sexual abuse by women reported to police, and (2) the impact of reports of sexual abuse committed by transgender women in contributing to any such change; and what plans they have, if any, to undertake further research into these issues.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
Information on trends in sexual offences recorded by the police is routinely published by the Office for National Statistics. The most recent publication, Crime in England and Wales: Year ending June 2020, is available here:
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/bulletins/crimeinenglandandwales/yearendingjune2020
Figures for the year ending December 2020 are due to be published on the 3 February. Information on sexual abuse committed by transgender women is not held centrally.
We know that sexual abuse disproportionately affects women and girls. We are currently running a Call for Evidence which is available on GOV.uk (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/violence-against-women-and-girls-vawg-call-for-evidence ) and will help inform our forthcoming Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, due for publication this Spring.
Asked by: Lord Lucas (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment was made of compliance with (1) the Equality Act 2010, and (2) the exemptions under that Act, of the Security Industry Authority’s publication Trans customers: a guide for door supervisors, published in October 2018; and whether under this guidance a door supervisor presented with documentation as evidence of age by a trans customer where the image on such documentation does not match the appearance of that customer must admit such a customer.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The Security Industry Authority (SIA) publication ‘Trans Customers: A Guide for Door Supervisors’ reflects the Government Equalities Office’ guidance ‘Providing Services for Trans Customers’. The SIA’s guide was reviewed by the Government Equalities Office prior to its publication in 2018.