s 50 Guidance to agencies on assessing and managing certain risks to the public
(1) The Secretary of State may issue guidance to agencies on the discharge of any of their functions which contribute to the more effective assessment and management of the risks posed by persons of a specified description (2) Guidance under this Article may contain provisions for the purpose of facilitating co-operation between agencies, including— (a) provisions requiring agencies to maintain arrangements for that purpose and to draw up a memorandum of co-operation; and (b) provisions regarding the exchange of information among them. (2A) Guidance under this Article must contain provisions about arrangements for considering the disclosure, to any particular member of the public, of information concerning any relevant previous convictions of a person where it is necessary to protect a particular child or particular children from serious harm caused by that person; and the guidance may, in particular, contain provisions for the purpose of preventing a member of the public from disclosing that information to any other person. (3) Paragraphs (2) and (2A) do not affect the generality of paragraph (1). (4) Agencies shall give effect to guidance under this Article. (5) The Secretary of State shall consult the agencies before issuing guidance under this Article. (6) The Secretary of State shall not specify a description of persons in guidance under this Article unless, whether by reason of offences committed by them (in Northern Ireland or elsewhere) or otherwise, the Secretary of State has reason to believe that persons of that description may cause serious harm to the public.