Written question asked by Baroness Burt of Solihull (Liberal Democrat) on Thursday, 26 July 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 8 October 2007. It was answered by Baroness Hodge of Barking (Labour) on Monday, 22 October 2007 on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Tour Operators: Vetting

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make it his policy to require UK tour operators to (a) check that staff employed in hotels abroad are screened to ensure that it is suitable for them to work with children and (b) inform customers if staff working hotels abroad, including those that have been franchised, have been convicted of any sexual offences involving minors.

Answer: UK nationals working with children in overseas hotels used by UK tour operators which are members of the Association of British Travel Agents are subject to UK police checks before appointment.Police checks or screening of the criminal records of foreign nationals either working for UK tour operators abroad, or working in hotels used by those operators, are matters for the law of the destination country and the local enforcement of that law.

Secondary information