Written question asked by Maria Miller (Conservative) on Monday, 3 November 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 5 November 2008. It was answered by Meg Hillier (Labour) on Tuesday, 25 November 2008 on behalf of the Home Office.

Criminal Records Bureau: International Cooperation

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) from which countries the Criminal Records Bureau receives information regarding offences committed overseas; and how frequently such information is updated in each case;

Answer: There are two types of checks conducted by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB), standard and enhanced disclosures, both of which require a detailed search for any convictions contained on the Police National Computer (PNC).Criminal Convictions on the Police National Computer will include convictions of UK nationals in the European Union (EU) sent to the UK Central Authority for the Exchange of Criminal Records (UKCA-ECR) as well as convictions of UK nationals sent via Interpol channels to the Serious and Organised Crime Agency. In addition the UKCA-ECR can request previous conviction history regarding EU nationals being proceeded against in a UK court of law. When there is previous conviction history, this information is input onto the PNC and is available for the CRB to access as part of their normal checking procedures.Information about the number of overseas nationals working in the UK that may have committed an offence overseas which, had this been committed in the UK, would have prevented them from working with children and vulnerable adults, is not available centrally. However, conviction information coming to light through the procedures described above will be disclosed to employers should a CRB check be requested. The CRB also provides an overseas information service to all its customers via its website at: www.crb.gsi.gov.uk.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 483 c1240-1W; 233787
Session: 2007-08
Subjects: Criminal records International cooperation Migrant workers Vetting
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk