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Offender Management Bill

We share many of the hesitations that the noble and learned Lord, Lord Lloyd of Berwick, has expressed. We are minded not to oppose the inclusion of these clauses in the Bill subject to very clear justification from the Government and an assurance that they have thought through the many questions raised by the noble and learned Lord. As the Minister in the other place said at Committee stage, this area raises many difficult issues. This must be seen as a pilot study with very limited significance, justified only because of the intense sensitivity of that small but dangerous group of adult sexual offenders who are not related to the children whom they abuse. I hope the Government intend to proceed very cautiously in this area and that the acceptance of this pilot study does not lay down any preconditions for its use in any other circumstances.