Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA): overview report 2020 to 2021

3. MAPPA Developments

A summary of this work includes:

MAPPA and Terrorism

Following the publication in May 2020 of the "Terrorist Risk Offenders - Independent Review of Statutory Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements" report by Jonathan Hall and the subsequent UK Government Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Bill, the Scottish Government engaged with the Risk Management Authority (RMA) in their work to review existing information and research on terrorism and radicalisation. This work led to two reports - one on risk assessment tools and risk factors and the other on risk management approaches, and these will inform future policy direction in this area.

In addition to this, the Scottish Government set up a multi-partner working group to consider the risk assessment and risk management arrangements for this particular cohort in Scotland. The Scottish Government-led national MAPPA Development Group will take work forward to consider MAPPA's role in this area.

National Accommodation Strategy for Sex Offenders (NASSO)

Scotland's Housing Network, who host a practice exchange forum for Local Authority Sex Offender Liaison Officers (SOLO) and Registered Social Landlord (RSL) Link Officers, supported the development of guidance on information sharing for SOLOs and RSL Link Officers, published in October 2020. The guidance was developed to cover commonly recurring questions around information sharing.

Building on the existing measures in place, scoping work with stakeholders to develop a national inter-authority placement protocol for the housing of Registered Sex Offenders (RSOs) in social housing, where an offender needs to be housed in a different local authority area from the area they are currently living, will take place when resources permit.

Social Security Scotland

On 8th January 2021, the Management of Offenders etc. (Scotland) Act 2005 (Specification of Persons) Amendment Order 2020 came into force. The 2020 Order amended the Management of Offenders etc. (Scotland) Act 2005 (Specification of Persons) Order 2007 to include Social Security Scotland as a 'duty to cooperate' agency under the terms of the 2005 Act and this Order provides for the exchange of certain prescribed information for those individuals subject to MAPPA.

An Information Sharing Agreement and an updated version of the Operational Guidance (which operates as a Memorandum of Understanding) has been entered into by Police Scotland, the Scottish Prison Service and Social Security Scotland. This ensures that appropriate information sharing to manage the risks posed by individuals managed under MAPPA can take place for the protection of the public.

Prior to becoming a duty to cooperate organisation, Social Security Scotland delivered training to its central MAPPA team. This learning included:

• Data handling procedures
• MAPPA guidance and Social Security Scotland referral processes
• Case studies