§ Mr. BeithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the full cost to the Criminal Records Bureau of each criminal conviction certificate issued on an individual; what is the standard fee to be paid by individuals requesting a check; how many certificates he estimates will be requested per year(a) from people wishing to work in the voluntary sector, (b) from unemployed people, (c) from disabled people, (d) from all other individuals and (e) in total; and if he will make a statement. [68953]
§ Mr. BoatengOnce established, the Criminal Records Bureau will be self-financing through charging for each certificate to be issued as provided for under the Police Act 1997. The fee set for each certificate type will reflect the full cost to the Bureau of providing the service. We estimate that certificates will cost between five and around ten pounds depending on the level of certificate sought.
It is impossible to predict accurately likely demand for certificates once the Bureau is in full operation. We estimate however that there will be annual demand for around 5 to 6 million Criminal Conviction Certificates (CCCs), 2 to 3 million Criminal Record Certificates (CRCs) and 2 to 3 million Enhanced Criminal Record Certificates (ECRCs). Demand for certificates from any particular sector is ever more difficult to predict, but up to half the CRCs and ECRCs issued could go to those wishing to work, in a paid or unpaid capacity, in the voluntary sector. Based on figures prepared in 1996, we estimate there could be around 1 million applications a year for CCCs from the unemployed. No estimate has been made of the number of applications from disabled people.