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Home Office

Answer

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what additional powers the Criminal Records Bureau would require to carry out checks on all people coming from abroad before they were able to take up positions working with children or vulnerable people. [165831] Ms Blears: [holding answer 19 April 2004]: Part 5 of the Police Act 1997, under which the Criminal Records Bureau operates, does not empower the Bureau to search databases outside the United Kingdom for conviction and other information shown on its Disclosures. Inquiries made about arrangements in force in other countries have shown both how varied they are and how complex it would be to introduce widespread arrangements to link up with records in a range of other countries. The Bureau has taken the initiative by establishing its overseas information service for the benefit of employers who are considering recruiting staff from outside the UK. The service provides detailed information about the arrangements for checks in other countries, including where such information can be obtained, how to go about obtaining a check, the cost and the time taken. At present, this arrangement covers 16 countries, including nine in Europe, and work is in hand to extend the service to a further 15 countries, including 14 in Europe.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

165831; 420 c592W

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Children Criminal records EU nationals Protection Powers Migrant workers Vetting Criminal Records Bureau

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk