§ 11. Jim Dobbin (Heywood and Middleton)If he will make a statement on the new Criminal Records Bureau; and what plans he has to give employers access to criminal records. [47071]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Bob Ainsworth)The Criminal Records Bureau will provide employers and organisations with improved access to criminal records and other information, through applications initiated by individuals. Its primary purpose is to help employers and voluntary organisations make safer recruiting decisions, especially for those working with children or vulnerable adults. The bureau first began processing applications for the two higher levels of disclosures on 11 March.
§ Jim DobbinI thank the Minister for that reply. I agree that care in recruitment procedures is absolutely essential to protect children, young people and other vulnerable groups from dangerous people. Can my hon. Friend assure me and the House that job applicants and voluntary workers will have a fair deal through these procedures, and that at least their private lives will he protected?
§ Mr. AinsworthMy hon. Friend is right that we are dealing with sensitive issues—the criminal records of individuals—and, to ensure that that information is used fairly and that the individual's rights to privacy are not prejudiced, no disclosure can be issued without the consent of the individual applicant, and the information is always provided to the individual applicant. If they are unhappy about any aspects of it, they have the opportunity to challenge it before it is made known to anyone else, including their employer.