Written question asked by Lord Lansley (Conservative) on Monday, 16 January 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 19 January 2006. It was answered by Liam Byrne (Labour) on Monday, 23 January 2006 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Sex Offenders

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many individuals whose names appear on the (a) Protection of Children Act list and (b) Protection of Vulnerable Adults list are employed by (i) NHS organisations and (ii) social services departments; and how many individuals employed by (A) NHS organisations and (B) social services departments have committed an offence listed under Schedule 1 to the Sex Offenders Act 1997.

Answer: [holding answer 19 January 2006]: The responsibility for carrying out pre-employment checks, including Criminal Records Bureau, Protection of Children Act and Protection of Vulnerable Adults checks where applicable, rests with the relevant employer, whether a national health service organisation or social services department or other regulated provider of health or social care. The NHS is required to follow the guidance, ““Safer Recruitment”” issued in May 2005 which covers all the pre and post-appointment checks that NHS employers are required to make before appointing anyone—including employees, volunteers, students and trainees—to a position in the NHS. In regulated social care, providers must comply with regulations on pre-employment checks made under the Care Standards Act 2000 which came into force in April 2002.Part two of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 replaced part one of the Sex Offenders Act 1997 and schedule three to the 2003 Act came into force on 1 May 2004. The Act requires convicted sex offenders to report each year to their local police and inform the police if they change their name and address within three days instead of the previous 14 days.The Department does not hold information about NHS and social care employees of the kind requested.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 43451; 441 c1864W
Session: 2005-06
Subjects: Children Employment Offenders NHS Protection Vetting Sexual offences Social services
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk