In 2015, we introduced new, more stringent measures on our Tier 1 (Investor) route before applicants can invest in the UK. These changes ensure that migrants are subjected to stronger due diligence and anti-money laundering checks before they are granted a visa. We also doubled the minimum required investment and removed a provision which allowed migrants to invest money which had been obtained through loans. We created new powers to refuse applications including where granting the visa is not conducive to the public good.

On the Tier 1 Entrepreneur route, we have introduced a number of measures which ensure that migrants must demonstrate that they have made an economic contribution to the UK before they can settle.

Anyone who teaches, trains, instructs, cares for, or supervises children should have appropriate background checks undertaken by employers as part of their recruitment process, and would be eligible for a criminal records check. An unsupervised person undertaking these activities on a regular basis would also be eligible for a barred list check, as part of this process; and it is an offence for an employer to knowingly employ someone in such a role if they have been barred. It is equally an offence for that individual to undertake such activities.

In addition to a criminal records check, consideration of other available information, such as references from previous employers, would be considered good practice as part of any organisation’s recruitment decision and as part of their broader safeguarding policies.

The Higher Education Degree Datacheck (HEDD) system represents 103 universities. It is run by Prospects, the commercial branch of the Higher Education Careers Service Unit – an agency of sector bodies Universities UK and Guild HE.

The department has not evaluated the HEDD system.

Anyone involved in sport in a role that involves regular contact with or responsibility for children or vulnerable adults should have appropriate background checks.

Organisations in receipt of public funding from Sport England and UK Sport since April 2017 are required to meet the standards set out in the Code for Sports Governance. The Code contains specific obligations about safeguarding, including a requirement to adhere to the Standards for Safeguarding and Protecting Children in Sport, which are issued by the NSPCC’s Child Protection in Sport Unit. These standards state that sport organisations must have policies and procedures in place to safely recruit staff and volunteers who work with children and for assessing their suitability for such roles. DBS checks are one tool that can be used. Safeguarding checks required by legislation and guidance must also be carried out.

Tenants of Service Family Accommodation (SFA) properties allocated under a civilian licence are generally Civil Servants or Reservists. They are not subject to security vetting associated with their eligibility to occupy SFA, any security vetting relates to their role.

All sublet tenants undergo normal credit and reference checks.

Specific security issues are taken into account when looking at prospective sublet sites, the risk of subletting specific properties has been thoroughly assessed and those occupying these properties do not need to be security vetted.

Landlords should check that prospective tenants have a right to rent in the UK by carrying out simple document checks under the Immigration Act 2014. Prior to implementing these arrangements across England, the Home Office undertook an evaluation of phase one of the Right to Rent scheme in the West Midlands. A mystery shopping element, carried out by independent researchers, found no evidence that the scheme caused discrimination in access to accommodation. This evaluation was informed and overseen by a Landlord Consultative Panel of housing experts and others, including the Equality and Human Rights Commission. This panel, which is co-chaired by the Minister for Immigration and Lord Best OBE, an acknowledged expert in housing and planning matters, has continued to monitor the results of the scheme.

The published evaluation report can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-of-the-right-to-rent-scheme

The Government has published a Code of Practice that advises landlords on how unlawful discrimination should be avoided. The Equality and Human Rights Commission and Equality Commission for Northern Ireland assisted in the drafting of this Code.

Landlords should check that prospective tenants have a right to rent in the UK by carrying out simple document checks under the Immigration Act 2014. Prior to implementing these arrangements across England, the Home Office undertook an evaluation of phase one of the Right to Rent scheme in the West Midlands. A mystery shopping element, carried out by independent researchers, found no evidence that the scheme caused discrimination in access to accommodation. This evaluation was informed and overseen by a Landlord Consultative Panel of housing experts and others, including the Equality and Human Rights Commission. This panel, which is co-chaired by the Minister for Immigration and Lord Best OBE, an acknowledged expert in housing and planning matters, has continued to monitor the results of the scheme.

The published evaluation report can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-of-the-right-to-rent-scheme

The Government has published a Code of Practice that advises landlords on how unlawful discrimination should be avoided. The Equality and Human Rights Commission and Equality Commission for Northern Ireland assisted in the drafting of this Code.

The average processing time for a standard or enhanced disclosure check by the Disclosure and Barring Service was 11.53 days in October 2017.

There are certain circumstances, such as undertaking specific contracted work driving children, which fall into the definition of a regulated activity. The definitions of regulated activity that apply to work with children or work with adults are set out in legislation and such activities include teaching or supervision of children and the provision of health or personal care services.

In addition, all licensing authorities currently require an enhanced DBS check for drivers of taxis and PHV, and are able to request a barred list check alongside this. Consequently designating taxi and PHV driving as a regulated activity would not mean any additional information would be disclosed. The Government considers that it would be disproportionate to designate taxi and PHV driving as regulated activity because not all taxi or PHV drivers take on such work with children or vulnerable adults.

I announced in a Westminster Hall debate that I would be setting up a working group to consider current issues concerning taxi and PHV licensing, reporting its findings to me in the new year.

The average time for a new prison officer recruit to receive a full security check in 2017 is 46 calendar days. This is for new officer recruits who are recorded as starting work in a Prison (data up to the end of September 2017), who applied between the 1st January and 30th September 2017.

My Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has not had discussions with my Rt hon. Friend, the Home Secretary about DBS checks for school volunteers, including governors. Department officials maintain regular contact with the Home Office and the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and are involved in key discussions on policy development.

Statutory safeguarding guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2, explains the circumstances in which schools are required to obtain DBS checks for staff, governors and volunteers. Where a person moves between roles in schools or between schools, provided the ‘level’ of DBS check required for each role is identical, there is nothing to prevent a school from accepting previously issued certificates. It is for schools to decide whether to accept a previously issued DBS certificate.

DBS offer an online Update Service that reduces the need for individuals who subscribe to the service to apply for multiple checks to work with different organisations. Where the individual consents, a school can use the service to carry out a free online check to confirm if the information released on the DBS certificate is up-to-date. This helps shorten the time taken by employers to decide on suitability. DBS checks and subscription to the Update Service are free for those in unpaid roles.

The Disclosure and Baring Service (DBS) has a governance framework set out in the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 and a performance framework agreed with the Home Office. The DBS regularly reports on performance and risk to its Board and Home Office Ministers.

As a pre-qualification activity in the procurement process, potential contractors tendering for contracts with the House Service are asked to confirm whether they have breached labour law obligations, including the Employment Relations Act 1999 (Blacklists) Regulations 2010 and the Modern Slavery Act 2015, in the previous three years. Where this turns out to be the case, they are asked to explain what measures have been taken and provide evidence as appropriate to demonstrate the reliability of the organisation despite the existence of a relevant ground for exclusion. If the response is not satisfactory, the House Service has the right to exclude the organisation from the tendering process at its discretion.

The average time for a new prison officer recruit to receive a full security check in 2017 is 46 calendar days. This is for new officer recruits who are recorded as starting work in a Prison (data up to the end of September 2017), who applied between the 1^st January and 30^th September 2017.

The longest time for a new prison officer recruit to receive a full security check in 2017 is 141 calendar days. This is for new officer recruits who are recorded as starting work in a Prison (data up to the end of September 2017), who applied between the 1^st January and 30^th September 2017.

The Government keeps the framework governing the disclosure of criminal records under constant consideration in order to ensure the disclosure and barring arrangements continue to strike the right balance between safeguarding vulnerable groups and enabling offenders, including those who have received a conviction or caution aged under 18, to put their offending behind them.

The average process time for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) application is 11.37 days (September 2017).

The application form for a DBS check includes a field for nationality, but it is not mandatory to complete, therefore information on nationality is not routinely captured.

For standard criminal record checks and enhanced criminal record checks a conviction incurred by a person under the age of 18 is disclosable for five and a half years from the date of conviction. A caution, reprimand or warning incurred before the age of 18 is disclosable for two years from the date it was issued.

However, certain specified offences or a conviction receiving a custodial sentence will always be disclosed, and if someone has more than one conviction, then all their convictions will be disclosed. This is the case regardless of whether the convictions were incurred under the age of 18 or as an adult. The arrangements are set out in the Police Act 1997 as amended by the Police Act 1997 (Criminal Record Certificates: Relevant Matters) (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2013.

A basic certificate will disclose any unspent convictions and conditional cautions as provided for by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.