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Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill [HL]

In response to the noble Lord, if I recall it correctly, rape is clearly listed as one of those offences where there would be pretty much automatic inclusion or consideration of inclusion. Similarly, specific reference is made to domestic violence and any harm that may be caused to a child or vulnerable adult. I am grateful to my noble friend for his assurance that he will look at this again. However, I want to spell out my concern that read-across will not happen automatically, by which I do not mean that a name is automatically included but the consideration of a name and whether it is appropriate. For example, the Bill helpfully refers to,"““conduct which, if repeated against or in relation to a child””." That could relate to conduct of any kind, and I accept that. But it is about conduct that might ““endanger”” the child, with a parallel phrase for endangering the vulnerable adult. In respect of pornography, paragraph 4(1)(c) of Schedule 2 refers to ““conduct involving child pornography””, whereas the parallel reference regarding vulnerable adults is simply ““conduct involving pornography””. I am not clear whether conduct involving pornography, if it were sufficient to appear to the IBB as not appropriate in respect of vulnerable adults, would lead automatically to a consideration of whether that conduct is appropriate in respect of children. It seems almost to be excluded by the wording. Perhaps I am misinterpreting this and there is a way for the IBB to proceed with sufficient robustness to cover that, but the example underlines how the Bill may be seen to cover two completely separate strands so that people end up either on one list or on the other. Unless it is made absolutely clear in the Bill that consideration must be given to inclusion on both lists in the event of particular behaviour, assumptions could be made and circumstances then arise where it is not done. When my noble friend considers the Bill again, I would be grateful if he could bear in mind specific examples of this kind which underline the point I wish to make.