Member

The offence will trigger the sex offender notification requirements, and I hope that will reassure your Lordships that the Government take this seriously. That in part explains our reason for resisting Amendment 390 in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Black, which seeks to bring those convicted of a wide range of animal welfare offences into the statutory Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements, known colloquially by the acronym MAPPA. MAPPA management is reserved for the most serious offenders who pose the greatest risks to our communities. It is important that scarce resources are targeted at the most dangerous and serious offenders. The Government are of the view that the current arrangements achieve that, and there is already provision to manage the most concerning offenders under MAPPA on a discretionary basis. Of course, those convicted of sexual offences against animals should be subject to notification requirements, as they currently are under Section 69 of the Sexual Offences Act, and they will continue to be.