§ Mr. OatenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills in how many cases in the last five years schools have turned down a job applicant following checks against List 99. [144965]
§ Mr. Miliband[holding answer 18 December 2003]: My Department does not hold this information.
§ Mr. OatenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what duties are placed on social services departments to pass relevant details to the Department of Health and Department for Education and Skills for additions to List 99. [144966]
§ Mr. Miliband[holding answer 18 December 2003]: Under the Protection of Children Act (POCA) 1999, all regulated child care organisations have a statutory duty to refer names for possible inclusion on the POCA list 65W of those individuals considered unsuitable to work with children. POCA amended the Education Reform Act 1988 to provide that anyone included on the POCA list (other than provisionally) should also be included on List 99.
§ Mr. OatenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether it is compulsory for schools to check List 99 before employing an individual; and what safeguards are in place to ensure that schools do so. [144967]
§ Mr. Miliband[holding answer 18 December 2003]: Employers in the education service are required to check List 99 before employing a person to work with children. My Department has issued guidance to the education service about List 99 and other pre-employment checks and I have no reason to believe that employers are not complying with this.