Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the Sexual Offences Act 2003, and in particular any provisions relating to the change of name by sexual offenders.

The UK has some of the toughest powers in the world to deal with sex offenders and we are committed to ensuring that the system is as robust as it can be.

Registered sex offenders are managed by the police, who assess the risk each individual poses to the public and monitor changes to offenders’ circumstances.

Offenders must tell the police any names that they have used, including ones used online, and must notify the police within 3 days of any name change. This includes notifying the police of any changes to the offender’s passport or other identity documents. A failure to inform the police of a change in name constitutes a breach of notification requirements which is a criminal offence carrying up to 5 years’ imprisonment.

We will continue to work with the police to ensure they have all the necessary tools to manage sex offenders effectively.