§ Mr. GorrieTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he plans to remove non-conviction information from the requirements in the checks on volunteers and staff dealing with young people. [132245]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeWe attach particular importance to protecting young persons from those who would do them harm. This underpins the arrangements which we are putting in place to implement Part V of the Police Act 1997, under which information about criminal convictions will be more readily available to employers and voluntary organisations. The highest level of certificate that will be available under these arrangements will relate principally to those regularly caring for, training, supervising or being in sole charge of persons under the age of 18. In such cases, in addition to information about criminal convictions, police forces will be required to disclose any other information which, in the chief officer's opinion, might be relevant, and, under a "one-stop shop" arrangement, checks will also be made of a Department for Education and Employment list of persons who are512W barred from employment in the education service, and a Department of Health list of persons who are considered unsuitable to work with children.