Asked by: Baroness Browning (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Murray of Blidworth on 8 March (HL Deb col 797), for how long they have recorded changes of name by individuals following conviction; and how such data is (1) collected, and (2) recorded.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Protecting the public from dangerous criminals is a top priority for the Government. The UK has some of the toughest powers in the world to deal with sex offenders and those who pose a risk, and we are committed to ensuring that the system is as robust as it can be.
Registered Sex Offenders (RSOs) and Registered Terrorist Offenders (RTOs) are required, by law, to notify their details to the police annually and whenever those details change (including name changes) and they face up to five years in prison for failing to do so.
The Government has been reviewing whether more can be done in the legislative and non-legislative space to prevent criminals from being able to evade detection. This includes ensuring that law enforcement and other partners are fully utilising the monitoring tools and information sharing sources available to them, such as those provided by HM Passport Office, in addition to other ways to strengthen the system further.
We take this issue seriously and will take whatever action is required to prevent nefarious criminals from seeking to evade detection.
RSOs and RTOs are required to report name changes within three days of that change taking place. This information is collected and recorded by the police, and is not collected centrally by the Home Office.
Asked by: Baroness Browning (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to change the law applying to those individuals who change their name to avoid being brought to justice.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Protecting the public from dangerous criminals is a top priority for the Government. The UK has some of the toughest powers in the world to deal with sex offenders and those who pose a risk, and we are committed to ensuring that the system is as robust as it can be.
Registered Sex Offenders (RSOs) and Registered Terrorist Offenders (RTOs) are required, by law, to notify their details to the police annually and whenever those details change (including name changes) and they face up to five years in prison for failing to do so.
The Government has been reviewing whether more can be done in the legislative and non-legislative space to prevent criminals from being able to evade detection. This includes ensuring that law enforcement and other partners are fully utilising the monitoring tools and information sharing sources available to them, such as those provided by HM Passport Office, in addition to other ways to strengthen the system further.
We take this issue seriously and will take whatever action is required to prevent nefarious criminals from seeking to evade detection.
RSOs and RTOs are required to report name changes within three days of that change taking place. This information is collected and recorded by the police, and is not collected centrally by the Home Office.
Asked by: Baroness Browning (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to enhance police inspection powers in respect of mobile scrap metal dealers and collectors.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The police have powers to check and inspect scrap metal dealer sites and to verify mobile collectors’ licenses. We do not have any plans to change these powers, although we shall continue to work with the police and other partners through the National Metal Theft Working Group to ensure that the police and local authorities have the powers they need to ensure that those who trade and deal in scrap metal are fully compliant with the legislation.
Asked by: Baroness Browning (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the case for standardising licence and fee arrangements across England and Wales applying to dealers in scrap metals.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The licensing fee charged to scrap metal dealers is set by each local authority on a cost recovery basis, to provide them with the funding they need to administer their licensing arrangements and to ensure compliance. While we are looking at the issue of licensing as part of the current review of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013, it will be important to ensure that the arrangements continue to meet the costs of local authorities in administering their licensing arrangements.
Asked by: Baroness Browning (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of how the enforcement rules preventing cash payments for scrap metal might be improved.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
It is an offence under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 to buy scrap metal for cash and this is an important part of the regulatory regime for the scrap metal industry. We shall continue to work with the police and other partners through the National Metal Theft Working Group to see what further action can be taken to deal with those rogue dealers who flout the law and pay cash for scrap metal.
Asked by: Baroness Browning (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the review of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013, what action they intend to take.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
We are currently considering the responses submitted by a range of interested partners to inform our review of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013. We will publish a report with our findings shortly.