Member

The noble Earl, Lord Lytton, raised a number of queries in relation to Clause 80, including the necessity of the clause. This clause is necessary in view of the dual role of the police as both a category of reporter and a potential recipient of reports made under the duty. Clause 80 sets out that a police officer does not need to make a formal report of the offence to their own force where they have already recorded the matter in accordance with relevant policy and procedure. This clause also avoids situations in which, for example, a police officer whose role involves reviewing large amounts of child sexual abuse material would otherwise have to make numerous individual reports to their force on the basis of having witnessed a recording of a child sexual offence. We believe the clause is necessary. Again, we may return to this, and the noble Lord may wish to move his amendment to delete the clause at some point, but I would hope he will reflect on what I have said. I am happy to write to him in more detail when I have had a chance to reflect in detail on the comments he has made to date.