Sex offenders: Lamont welcomes Labour U-turn on satellite tracking

Scottish Conservatives are welcoming the Scottish Labour Party's adoption of our long-standing policy on GPS satellite tracking for sex offenders. It is a welcome change, as Labour voted against a Scottish Conservative amendment calling for satellite tracking for sex offenders back in 2008.

John Lamont MSP, Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Justice, said:

"We have been calling for this since 2007, so Labour's adoption of our policy is very welcome indeed. It is particularly good news, as Labour voted against our amendment back in 2008 which called for satellite tracking. I am delighted the situation has been reversed.

"In addition to GPS tracking we would also like to see lie detector tests for sex offenders. Last year, the Association of Chief Police Officers Scotland called for sex offenders who are a danger to the public to be locked up indefinitely, until experts believe they are no longer a risk. We agree with this, because protecting our communities from these people must be our absolute priority.

"Sex offences, particularly those committed against children, are sickening. Such offences can ruin the lives of victims and traumatise their families. It is a good thing for our society to minimise this risk – I welcome Labour coming around to our common-sense thinking and hope there is more to come."

Below is the text of Bill Aitken's amendment in the Scottish Labour debate 'Protecting Scotland's Children' on February 28th 2008. It was defeated by 111 votes to 16, with Scottish Labour voting against.

S3M-01432.1.2 Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): Protecting Scotland's Children— As an amendment to amendment S3M-1432.1 in the name of Kenny MacAskill (Protecting Scotland's Children), after "Scotland" insert "believes that the monitoring of sex offenders could be made more effective by means of satellite tracking and the use of lie detector tests where an offender has breached the terms of their registration requirement and has effectively been out of contact for a period".

Lodged on Wednesday, February 27, 2008; taken in the Chamber on Thursday, February 28, 2008

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