Criminal Records Bureau (Hansard, 10 May 2004)

§ Baroness Barker
My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper. In so doing, I declare an interest as an employee of Age Concern England.

§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal)
My Lords, the Criminal Records Bureau has recently published its strategic plan, which sets out its agenda for the three years 2004–05, 2005–06 and 2006–07. The plan sets out four key aims, which are to improve quality and accuracy; to reduce costs and bureaucracy, including achieving self-funding status from 2005–06; to develop capacity and to improve delivery times. Copies of the strategic plan have been placed in the Library.

§ Baroness Barker
My Lords, I thank the Minister for that reply. She will no doubt be aware that CRB clearance is currently taking between two and four months to process. In the light of that, does she agree 7 that the relaxation of the requirement for people carrying out domiciliary care to be cleared by the CRB so that they are required only to have applied for CRB clearance potentially leaves vulnerable adults in their homes at great risk?

§ Baroness Scotland of Asthal
My Lords, I certainly understand the noble Baroness's anxiety about that. She will know that there has been significant improvement in clearance times. I hear what she says about it taking two to three months; I cannot confirm that that is correct. She will know that the CRB's performance has been transformed since autumn 2002. Since June 2003, the CRB has, on average, been issuing 93 per cent of standard and enhanced disclosures within two and four weeks respectively, against a public service standard of 90 per cent. So I cannot agree with the noble Baroness that it is not doing well. I accept that safety is a matter of acute concern and we believe that the system that we now have in place is robust and working far better than it did before.

§ Baroness Greengross
My Lords, does the noble Baroness agree that, despite the great improvements in timing, it still takes too long for many people—employers, employees and would-be employees—working in the social care sector? Would it not be possible for some portable, time-limited CRB check to be initiated for people who move from job to job within the care sector? I understand if people need a long check when they start working in the sector but, after that, existing employees might need only quickly to update their check, rather than to submit a new one.

§ Baroness Scotland of Asthal
My Lords, I understand that that anxiety has been raised. The noble Baroness will know that we have taken steps to respond to the whole issue of portability so that, if someone moves from one job to another within a short compass or, for instance, has a CRB check for being a teacher and wants to be a Scoutmaster or mistress too, he or she can use the CRB check for the one purpose. Obviously, it will then be a matter for the employer whether that is sufficient or whether a new check needs to be made. We have given that matter a lot of consideration and think that the new arrangements have responded fairly well to the concerns raised.

§ Lord Dholakia
My Lords, has the Minister considered the impact not only of the delay but of the charges on voluntary organisations, especially charitable organisations, bearing in mind that the income—especially the core income for the appointment of staff—of many such organisations has dropped? Will she please hold a discussion to ensure concessions for voluntary organisations, which provide such valuable services in this country?

§ Baroness Scotland of Asthal
My Lords, your Lordships will know that we have already taken steps to ensure that volunteers are processed without charge. That has been a significant benefit to voluntary organisations, which rely on the service of people who come forward with great generosity to help. That has been significant and, at present, we intend to maintain that position.

§ Lord Campbell-Savours
My Lords, will not the introduction of a national identity card make the whole process far faster?

§ Baroness Scotland of Asthal
My Lords, it will certainly make identification far faster and more secure, but whether it will change the need to have the CRB check is by no means certain, because the whole point of the CRB check is to discover whether there are criminal or other convictions or other material that needs to be taken into account before someone is given a job of some sensitivity.

§ Baroness Anelay of St Johns
My Lords, with regard to the matter of matching information against police computers, is the Minister still concerned about the number of instances when checks have thrown up apparent convictions of which the person has not in fact been guilty?

§ Baroness Scotland of Asthal
My Lords, of course I am concerned about that, but the noble Baroness will know that the whole purpose of the CRB is to err on the side of safety and caution. What has happened, which is a matter of regret, is that where two people have very similar names and details, on occasion, a report of a conviction has been triggered that has not been founded. However, I hope that the noble Baroness will agree that it is better for us to be safe rather than sorry. Although we bitterly regret that that happens, we would prefer it to be that way round than for someone who is guilty of a fairly unpleasant offence to be allowed to look after vulnerable people.

§ Lord McNally
My Lords, the Minister will recall that in the Soham tragedy, one problem was a change of name, which prevented proper checks on one of the individuals concerned. Is she convinced that the new procedures take account of the ease with which people use different names as they move through the system?

§ Baroness Scotland of Asthal
My Lords, it would be foolish ever to say that we have honed the system so keenly that no further improvements can be made. I do not suggest that. What I say is that we have taken all the steps that we can at present to ensure that it is as robust as possible. Of course, we must wait to see what the inquiry recommends. When those recommendations are to hand, we will take them very seriously indeed and consider what more, if anything, needs to be done.