§ Mrs. MahonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many people annually contest their inclusion on his Department's consultancy service register; and whether the outcome of contested cases is made publicly available;
(2) how many persons have information held on them by his Department's consultancy service register;
(3) if there is an appeal procedure to contest being placed on his Department's consultancy service register;
(4) what is the set of criteria for inclusion on his Department's consultancy service register referred to in his Department's circular LAC88/(19) annex A paragraph 8.
§ Mr. Mellor[holding answer 19 October 1989]: The Department's consultancy service is intended to ensure that prospective employers take up appropriate references from previous employers who may hold relevant information about an applicant for a post working with children. Some 6,000 names are currently held on the register. Information held by the Department which led to a person's entry on the register is not generally made available to a prospective employer.
Decisions to place a name on the register are taken jointly by the Department and the social services inspectorate, based on an assessment of whether a person's known past conduct is likely to injure the welfare of any child entrusted to his future care, or to lead to criminal or other harmful behaviour. Past conduct involving violence, sexual offences, supplying drugs or harming children is particularly likely to indicate inclusion.
Once it is decided to place a person on the register he or she is informed in writing of the information held by the Department and the purpose of the registration. He or she is also given the opportunity to challenge the accuracy of the information and to make representations as to why his or her name should not continue to be placed on the register.
No more than six people a year appeal against inclusion on the register. Each such case is carefully considered in 319W the light of the further information provided and the final decision, and the reasons for it, conveyed to the person. The outcome of contested cases is not made public as this is a confidential matter between the Department and the person concerned.