Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill set out his clear support for the principle of publishing such photographs in a debate in Parliament earlier this summer, and welcomed the formal contract as 'a powerful new tool for the authorities to use to step up the protection of children in our communities'.

The deal will also see Scottish forces using the 'most wanted' facility on the Crimestoppers website for non-sexual offenders - with Grampian Police already posting the images an individual wanted on drug charges on this site.

The formal contract sees agreement between the Crown Office, ACPOS and the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre and Crimestoppers. It makes clear that in certain situations the photographs of certain offenders, including high risk child sex offenders who have failed to comply with the requirements of the sex offenders register can be published, after careful consideration of the legal implications and, in particular, the potential prejudice to any future criminal proceedings.

Mr MacAskill said: "We should not forget that most sex offenders do comply with registration. However compliance alone is not a guarantee of non-offending.

"I will not forget that, despite the progress, tragedies still happen. Cases which show why we must remain ever vigilant.

"To protect our communities, we are sending a clear message to every sex offender in the land if they are given the right to be released they must take responsibility for their own actions.

"For the few who fail to comply - we will crack down with the full force of the law. Those given rights have responsibilities.

"I made clear to Parliament this summer that I believed it was appropriate to publish photographs of missing sex offenders on the internet and elsewhere.

"Today, thanks to the hard work and agreement of the police, the Crown and their partners at Crimestoppers and CEOP, Scotland has a powerful new tool for the authorities to use to step up the protection of children in our communities.

"Quite simply if a sex offender goes missing, and fails to comply, then they can expect the response to be swift, tough, and increasingly visible."

Assistant Chief Constable Iain MacLeod (Tayside), Portfolio Lead on Offender Management for the ACPOS Crime Business Area, said: "The Scottish Police Service has worked for an extensive period with the Scottish Government to arrange to have the potential to have photographs of offenders published on the CEOP website and on the Crimestoppers website.

"Permission to post photographs of such offenders has been granted by the Crown Office but only where there is considered to be a danger posed to the public by the individual in question.

"Scottish Police Forces will continue to liaise with Crown Office prior to the release of such photographs in order to prevent the jeopardisation of any future court proceedings. The Scottish Police Service will utilise this facility with appropriate consideration for public safety."

The Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini, QC, said: "The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is committed to making Scotland a safer place to live. Decisions to release photographs about sex offenders can never be taken lightly, and this can only be done when it is clear that there is an overriding public safety requirement, that doing so will substantially aid the police investigation, or when it is clear that alternative means of progressing the enquiry are exhausted.

"In appropriate circumstances I am sure that the internationally-recognised Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre's 'most wanted' website will be a valuable tool for law enforcement agencies and will help provide public reassurance"

Jim Gamble, Chief Executive of the CEOP centre said: "Offenders often use technology to target their victims. Well we use technology to now target them and it works. A year after we launched our Most Wanted website over 72.6 million people from around 150 countries have logged on to help locate some of the UK's most wanted convicted child sex offenders.

"The result has been staggering. Nine offenders are now back where they belong after a cumulative total of nearly 20 years on the run. Put that alongside our wider work and the 240 suspects arrested, the 138 vulnerable children rescued, the 3 organised paedophile rings that we have fundamentally dismantled and the ongoing investigations into a further 700 individuals from around the world and you see that the environment for offenders to operate in is becoming increasingly hostile.

"But now we move on and I am particularly delighted that our colleagues in forces throughout Scotland are now standing with us in saying enough is enough. That sends out a very clear message to all offenders out there - if you are thinking of going on the run then think again, because you could become our next offender to see your face on our website.

"I thank Scotland for coming on board and thank the millions of people who have worked with us in making this initiative such a success - no vigilante behaviour - but sensible reporting of sightings and information to local forces or Crimestoppers. So if you are working with children or have a desire to protect your children then register now at ceop.gov.uk/wanted and we will send you updates on any new postings. That is true partnership in action."

The new arrangements with the CEOP and Crimestoppers websites build on a range of other actions that the Police already take where an offender is missing from his registered address.

The police will:

• Share information with other agencies within agreed protocols, to see if they had an alternative address
• Create a crime report, detailing the investigation that took place to trace the missing offender
• Place the offender's details on relevant police databases, alerting other forces to the fact that he is missing
• Update the offender's record on ViSOR to reflect the fact that they are missing
• Check all known addresses, acquaintances, employer's records
• Circulate intelligence within the force, to locate the offender
• Make enquiries with DWP, Inland Revenue, NHS, and overseas law enforcement agencies, to identify the whereabouts of the offender

The CEOP Centre works in both online and offline environments to protect children from sexual exploitation.

The organisation is affiliated to the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and powers are derived from the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005. It is based in Pimlico, London with developing outreach channels to all areas of both domestic and international policing as well as industry and specialist support and educational faculties.

Summary of statistics - CEOP Nov 2006 - Nov 2007

• Number of offenders placed on the website - 13
• Number of offenders located - 9
• Total number of years missing from police management -20 years, 4 months
• Average time an offender has been missing - 2 years, 3 months
• Number of hits on 1st day of launch - 7.2 million
• People logging on from all over the world - 150 countries
• Locations where offenders have been located:- UK, France, Ireland, Mexico