asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans to take steps to monitor the operation of the Sexual Offences Act 1985; and if he will make a statement.

The Home Office is setting up arrangements to obtain the usual statistics of court proceedings (including the number of acquittals) in respect of offences under sections 1 and 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 1985. In addition, the Director of Public Prosecutions is making arrangements to record, in due course, the number of cases in which proceedings are instituted under section 1 of the Act but are not taken forward by the Crown prosecution service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he proposes to issue a departmental circular for the guidance of chief constables with regard to the implementation of the Sexual Offences Act 1985; and if he will make a statement.

Arrangements are in hand to issue an explanatory circular before the Act comes into force on 16 September.