Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many registered sex offenders are recorded as having changed their (a) name and (b) gender.

The UK has some of the toughest powers in the world to manage sex offenders and those who pose a risk, and we are committed to ensuring our system is as robust as it can be.

Registered sex offenders are required to notify their personal details to the police - including their name, date of birth and bank details - annually and whenever these details change. Failure to comply, including providing false information, is a criminal offence punishable by up to five years' imprisonment.

Data on registered sex offenders is published in the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) Annual Report. The most recent report was published by the Ministry of Justice on 27 October. It shows that on 31 March 2022, there were 66,741 registered sex offenders in England and Wales. Data on the number of registered sex offenders who have changed their name or gender are not centrally collected.

We have strengthened police powers through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 with new provisions that came into force on 29 November. To help ensure our processes are as robust as possible, the Home Office has conducted an internal review into the issue of offenders changing their name and the name change process to ensure it as robust as possible.