The Home Office has now set up the system by which gay men who were cautioned or convicted for the old discriminatory offences of gross indecency, importuning etc. can apply to have these convictions set aside so they no longer appear in people's records when (e.g.) they get a CRB check. For more information about how to apply to have convictions removed, go to Stonewall's page at www.stonewall.org.uk/oldconvictions.