§ Mr. Bowen Wellsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the effect of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act upon recruitment to the Metropolitan police; and whether a juvenile conviction for petty vandalism is sufficient to bar entry into the force.
§ Mr. Giles ShawBy virtue of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975, the provisions of the 1974 Act do not apply to applications for appointment as a police constable. Applicants are not, therefore, entitled to withhold information about a previous conviction on the grounds that it is for other purposes spent under the Act. It is for the chief officer of police to decide whether, in any particular case, an isolated minor offence should be disregarded.