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Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill [Lords]

Let me begin with the therapeutic services that the hon. Member for Mid-Dorset and North Poole (Annette Brooke) mentioned. We have discussed the matter on several occasions, and when we met last week she was kind enough to let me know that she intended to raise it. Although I am sympathetic to the argument about providing therapeutic services, the Bill is not the appropriate place to do that, not least because it would involve the ““Every Child Matters”” onion of services. This is an enabling Bill to set up an independent barring board to make barring decisions, not a Bill related to those services. On automatic barring, the hon. Lady rightly says that there is a draft list on which we will consult widely. After 10 years, even those who are automatically barred will have a right to appeal, if they wish to take it up. We are discussing that list with stakeholders. If I may, I will read out some of the offences from the list of offences giving rise to automatic barring. In respect of the children’s list, they include:"““An offence contrary to section 1(1) of the Sexual Offences Act 1956 (rape)””," where the victim is under the age of 16,"““An offence contrary to section 5 of the Sexual Offences Act 1956 (sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of thirteen)…An offence contrary to section 1 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (rape)””," where the victim is under the age of 16,"““An offence contrary to section 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (assault by penetration)””" where the victim is under 16, and"““An offence contrary to section 5 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (rape of a child under 13)””." The adults’ list refers to the Sexual Offences Act 2003, which covers offences"““against persons with a mental disorder impeding choice””." That should give the House a flavour of the kind of offences that we believe should result in an automatic bar, without the right of appeal, although a right of review in 10 years will be built in, should a person want to exercise it.