§ Miss LestorTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many requests were received by police authorities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, from local authority education departments seeking vetting of prospective staff working with children for the years 1989, 1990 and 1991.
§ Mr. Charles WardleExact figures are not available but during the period 1 September 1990 to 31 August 1991 519,325 checks were made by police forces in England and Wales under the child protection arrangements, of which 192,410 were known to have come from local authority education departments. Corresponding figures for the two previous years were 489,266 (193,526) to 31 August 1990 and 464,112 (189,304) to 31 August 1989.
§ Miss LestorTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average length of time the Metropolitan police take to process a police check on the suitability of local authority job applicants who work with children, such as teachers and social workers.
§ Mr. Charles WardleThe average length of time is currently 12½ weeks, including 9½ weeks waiting time before work on applications can begin. There has been a 42 per cent. increase in the number of criminal record check requests made to the Metropolitan police this year406W compared with last. Figures for the three months ending mid-November 1992 show an increase of 75 per cent. over the same period last year. Six extra staff have been loaned to the unit in an effort to reduce the backlog.