§ Lorna FitzsimonsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce 107W legislation to penalise employers who discriminate against a potential job applicant because they have a criminal record. [90268]
§ Mr. BoatengThe Government have no plans for such legislation.
The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 provides that any conviction resulting in a sentence of no more than two and a half years imprisonment may become spent after a specified period (depending on the length of the sentence and whether the offender commits further offences within that period). The Act provides that an offender is not normally required to disclose the fact he has "spent" convictions when applying for a job. It also stipulates that the fact that a person has a "spent" conviction or their failure to disclose that fact shall not be proper grounds for dismissing or excluding them from any office, profession, occupation or employment or for prejudicing them in any way in any occupation or employment.
§ Lorna FitzsimonsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to monitor the effect of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 on discrimination against offenders in job applications. [90267]
§ Mr. BoatengThe Government are concerned that ex-offenders should not be subject to unfair discrimination in the labour market. The Department for Education and Employment has commissioned a major research study into the employment experiences of ex-offenders, employers' attitudes towards them and their likely use of conviction information under the plans for the Criminal Records Bureau. The research will report in summer 2000 when the Government will consider any policy implications.