§ Mr. SwayneTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received regarding the time taken by the Criminal Records Bureau to process applications from local authorities for information; and if he will make a statement. [61516]
§ Hilary BennA number of representations have been received directly or indirectly. Measures are being taken to address the initial operating difficulties, which have resulted in delays in responding to applications for disclosure. We are determined that the Criminal Records Bureau will be in a position, as soon as possible, to meet the high standards of service that it has set itself.
§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to(a)reduce delays in conducting Criminal Records Bureau checks and (b)maintain security of such checks when outsourced to other countries. [61346]
§ Hilary Benn[holding answer 17 June 20021:The information is as follows.
(a)The Criminal Records Bureau has introduced a number of measures as part of a performance improvement plan in order to reduce delays in conducting Criminal Record Bureau checks. These measures include:
Rapid recruitment and training of additional staffAdditional resources to deal with the older applications. Extensions to working hours to increase output.Revised procedures to deal with errors/omissions. These remove such applications from mainstream processes thereby increasing the efficiency of processing both correctly completed applications and the exceptions.Significant increase in call centre staffing levels to cope with demand.Return of incomplete or incorrectly completed application forms to the registered body for correction.The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) has also introduced the following short-term contingency measures:
1070WThe CRB will carry out and issue the results of a List 99 check, for all teachers, in advance of a full disclosure check.The CRB has introduced a contingency plan to deliver a very limited number of manual criminal record checks.Outsourcing most of the backlog of applications to the data entry facility of Hays Plc in Chennai (Madras, India).Letters have been issued to Lead Countersignatories about the situation.(b)The concept of processing data overseas is not a new one and has been carried out successfully for a number of years. The security of criminal records checking should in no way be jeopardised by the outsourcing of the data capture process. The company carrying out the work in this case, Hays Plc has undertaken work for other public bodies.
A number of proposed sites were researched, both in the United Kingdom and abroad. The site in Chennai was chosen for many reasons, including:
Hays have extensive experience in this sector and have been employing staff in this line of work for over 12 years.Hays staff are already engaged in processing data for several overseas clients whose data are not dissimilar to that of the CRB.A comprehensive security audit has been carried out on the staff, premises and processes involved.Hays Plc in India offer the greatest capacity and flexibility to meet the CRB's needs.