§ Mr. ParryTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has sought the opinion of the Merseyside police authority on the Protect-U-Rite private security company based in Liverpool; and if he will make a statement. [21145]
§ Mr. MacleanNo.
§ Mr. ParryTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of any link between the setting up of a private security company on Merseyside and the reduction in the Merseyside police budget and if he will make a statement. [21147]
§ Mr. MacleanThere is no link between the setting up of private security companies in a particular area and the budget of the local police force. Merseyside police authority has taken advantage of the additional funds made available for 1995–96 and has set this year's force budget at £218.56 million. That is an increase of £5.33 million, or 2.5 per cent., over the base budget for 1994–95.
§ Mr. ParryTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the process used by private security companies to check on possible criminal records of their employees; and if he will make a statement. [21148]
§ Mr. MacleanIt is for private security companies themselves to decide what checks to carry out in assessing the suitability of prospective employees. They do not at present have access to criminal records, but we are looking at the case for such access as part of our wider review of the arrangements for disclosure of criminal records.