HC Deb 19 February 1997 vol 290 cc547-9W
Mr. Michael

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in England and Wales, how many criminal record checks were carried out on behalf of(a) local authorities, (b) health bodies, (c) independent schools, (d) grant-maintained schools, (e) further education establishments, (f) voluntary organisations and (g) nursery groups by each police force in England and Wales under the child protection arrangements, pursuant to Home Office circular 47/93 for each year ended 31 March from 1993 to 1996; and in each case how many checks revealed a criminal conviction. [16584]

Mr. Maclean

This information is not available centrally in the form requested. The total number of criminal record checks carried out on behalf of local authorities, statutory health bodies, independent schools, grant-maintained schools and further education establishments under the child protection arrangements outlined in Home Office circular 47/93 for the years ended 31 March 1993 to 31 March 1996, and the number of those checks which revealed a criminal conviction, was as follows:

Year Total number of checks Number revealing convictions1
1993 654,472 33,894
1994 609,434 38,162

Year Total number of checks Number revealing convictions1
1995 607,573 39,679
1996 613,163 38,809
1 Not all forces were able to provide details of the number of checks which revealed convictions.

No figures are available on the number of criminal record checks carried out for voluntary organisations or on people working in nursery groups.

Mr. Michael

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on the frequency of checks on individuals under the child protection arrangements, pursuant to Home Office circular 47/93. [16585]

Mr. Maclean

Home Office circular 47/93 advises that in the case of agency staff employed by a local authority or health authority a check should be regarded as valid for three years. There is no recommendation that other staff should be rechecked at regular intervals.

Mr. Michael

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of enhanced criminal record checks which will be undertaken in the year to 31 March 1999 under the arrangements to be established under the Police Bill[Lords]. [16587]

Mr. Maclean

It was originally estimated that, when the Criminal Records Agency became fully operational, it would issue around 1.3 million enhanced criminal record certificates each year. The Police Bill[Lords], as amended, provides for free checks for volunteers which we expect would increase demand for these certificates.

Mr. Michael

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if payments are made by local education authorities and social services authorities to police forces for criminal record checks. [16590]

Mr. Maclean

No.

Mr. Michael

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the unit costs to (i) police authorities and (ii) local authorities of each criminal record check made in respect of child protection, pursuant to Home Office circular 47/93. [16591]

Mr. Maclean

There are wide variations in the cost of criminal record checks across police forces. It is estimated that, on average, it costs a police force £6.35 to carry out a criminal record check. It is not possible to break the figures down in order to identify the costs of child protection checks, although these will be higher than the average. Information is not available on the costs incurred by local authorities.

Mr. Michael

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements are in place for checking employees and volunteers working with people under 19 years who are not eligible for checks under arrangements made pursuant to Home Office circulars 47/93 and 92/117; what categories of individual are not covered by the arrangements under these two circulars; and what is the estimated number of individuals in these categories. [16593]

Mr. Maclean

There are no formal arrangements for checking employees and volunteers working with people under 19 years of age who are not eligible for checks under the arrangements set out in Home Office circulars 47/93 and 42/94. Home Office circular 42/94 replaced 117/92 which has been cancelled. However, in 1993, the Home Office published a code of practice entitled "Safe from Harm" which offers voluntary organisations that work with children, but are not covered by the terms of the Home Office circulars, guidance on good policy and practice in areas such as recruitment, supervision and management of staff. Copies of "Safe from Hann" are in the Library.

The main categories of individual not covered by the arrangements set out in the two circulars are employees and volunteers working for voluntary or private child-care organisations.

It is not known exactly how many individuals are excluded from checking under the current arrangements but it is estimated that about 700,000 extra people would be eligible to apply for the enhanced criminal record certificates proposed in the Police Bill [Lords].

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