§ Mr. LetwinTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) which umbrella bodies registered with the Criminal Records Bureau do not charge a fee for processing applications for disclosures from volunteers; and if he will make a statement; [55450]
(2) what criteria the Criminal Records Bureau uses to define umbrella bodies as (a) open and (b) closed; [55449]
(3) if he will list by (a) region and (b) county the number of open voluntary sector umbrella bodies registered with the Criminal Records Bureau; [55452]
(4) what arrangements his Department has made to obtain information on the fees charged to process applications for disclosures by umbrella bodies registered with the Criminal Records Bureau. [55451]
§ Mr. Keith BradleyAn "open" umbrella registered body is an organisation in the public, private or voluntary sector that is prepared to countersign applications for higher level disclosures at the request of others outside their own circle or sector. A "closed" umbrella registered body is one that provides the countersignatory service to those within its circle or sector only.
Information is not kept as to the charging of fees by umbrella bodies, and there are no plans to collect such information. In guidance for umbrella bodies, the Criminal Records Bureau urges that any such charges are kept to a minimum. Those wishing to use the services of an umbrella body would be well advised to ask whether charges are made and, if so, compare charges.
As at 10 May 2002 the number of open voluntary sector bodies was as follows:
264W
Open voluntary sector bodies Number (a) By area East Midlands 7 Eastern 8 Greater London 6 Merseyside 1 Mid Wales 0 North East 5 North Wales 0 North West 6 South East 12 South Wales 0 South West 4 West Midlands 10 Yorkshire 2 (b) By county Buckinghamshire 2 Cumbria 1 Derbyshire 4 Dorset 2 Durham 1 East Sussex 1
Open voluntary sector bodies Number Essex 4 Gloucestershire 1 Greater London 7 Greater Manchester 3 Hampshire 3 Hertfordshire 1 Humberside 1 Kent 4 Lancashire 2 Merseyside 1 Norfolk 1 Nottinghamshire 3 Shropshire 1 Somerset 1 South Yorkshire 1 Staffordshire 1 Suffolk 2 Teesside 2 Tyneside 2 Warwickshire 3 West Midlands 5 West Sussex 1