Written question asked by Charles Walker (Conservative) on Tuesday, 6 December 2011, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 12 December 2011. It was answered by Baroness Featherstone (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 19 December 2011 on behalf of the Home Office.

Vetting: Compulsorily Detained Mental Patients

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the Criminal Record Bureau's (CRB) policy is on disclosing details of an applicant's sectioning under the Mental Health Act in a CRB certificate when no offence has been committed; whether any assessment has been made of the effects of such disclosure on an applicant; and if she will make a statement.

Answer: [holding answer 12 December 2011]: The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) does not have a policy on the disclosure of information concerning a person's mental health. This is because part V of the Police Act 1997, under which the CRB operates, provides that the chief officer of a relevant force may release any information which they consider relevant to the purpose of the disclosure and which they consider ought to be included on the certificate. The CRB are not involved in this process.

Secondary information