Access to paedophile list considered

Sarah Payne's case ignited a debate on data access

Newly-appointed Home Secretary David Blunkett has said he will consider giving the public limited access to information on paedophiles.

Writing in the News of the World, the former education minister said he would consider all proposals put forward including "controlled access to information about sex offenders".

The government has faced pressure to allow the public access to the register of sex offenders so they can be warned about dangerous offenders living in their area.

But senior police officers have raised concerns that it would drive offenders underground, making it more difficult to keep track of them.

The home secretary has promised to consider changing the law

Following the killing of eight-year-old Sarah Payne last year, the News of the World launched a campaign to secure public access to the sex offenders register, a so-called "Sarah's Law".

Mr Blunkett's article in that paper states: "As the prime minister promised, I will be looking very hard to see what more could be done to protect our children.

"As part of that exercise, I will look at all the proposals put forward, including the possibility of controlled access to information about sex offenders."

Internet crackdown

He added that the government intends to take further action to stop paedophiles preying on children through the internet.

"We plan to give police power to confiscate computers and provide measures protecting children with internet access," he said.

"Paedophiles who try to lure children to meet through chatrooms will face tough new penalties."