Regulation of the Private Security Industry
The new regulatory regime and the Security Industry Authority
Q Who will be required to be licensed?
A. Any person who works in a sector which is subject to the Private Security Industry Act 2001:
- Door supervisors, both in-house and supplied under contract
- Security Guards supplied under contract
- Key holders supplied under contract
- Close protection operatives provided under contract
- Cash and valuables in transit operatives supplied under contract
- CCTV (public space surveillance) operatives supplied under contract
- Private investigators supplied under contract
- Security consultants supplied under contract
- Precognition agents
This will include those who provide frontline security services and those who are involved in the management or running of companies or individuals providing those services.
It will not apply to most in-house security staff - for example, where a security guard is directly employed by a company to guard their own building. The exception to this is door supervisors working in licensed pubs and clubs, who will all require to be licensed whether in-house provided or contracted in.
Q What is the timetable for this?
A. With the exception of precognition agents, licences will be issued to applicants from February 2007. This will follow a period during which applicants will be able to undertake the SIA approved training. In most cases this will be a prerequisite for licensing.
It will become an offence to operate without a SIA licence towards the end of 2007. The exception will be precognition agencies for whom licensing is expected to take place towards the end of 2007.
Q What is the SIA?
A. The Security Industry Authority is an NDPB, established in 2003 under the Private Security Industry Act to regulate the private security industry in England and Wales.
The SIA's mission is to 'help protect society by collaboratively developing and achieving high standards in the private security industry'.
Its remit will be extended to Scotland through the commencement of provisions in the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 which was subject to a Sewel Motion in the Scottish Parliament in February 2005.
Q Why did you decide to join the SIA instead of having a separate scheme for Scotland?
A. Careful consideration has been given to this issue including examination of options for a Scottish regulatory regime. Following a consultation exercise in 2001, it was decided that it would be preferable to join the proposed English and Welsh scheme, reducing bureaucracy and confusion over what licence applies and where in Great Britain. It will also mean a level playing field for companies and individuals operating on both sides of the border. And deliver economies of scale which would not have been possible with a separate Scottish scheme - which would have meant security staff in Scotland paying more for their licences than their counterparts in England and Wales.
Q What will individuals and organisations have to do to ensure they are licensed in Scotland, and how many people and organisations will be affected?
A. To receive a licence, applicants will have to satisfy the SIA that they are who they say they are and that they have the necessary competency to carry out their duties associated. sector. This will involve completion of a SIA recognised qualification. They will also have to undergo an SIA criminality check.
Q What type of training will be available and when?
A. Training to enable all applicants in Scotland to meet the SIA competency criteria will be available from September/October 2006. Further details of this will be announced in due course.
Q Who will pay for the training and licenses and will any financial support be available to individuals who can't afford to meet these costs?
A. It will be an individual's responsibility to fund the training courses, although their employers may choose to provide funding. We are however investigating the availability of support for individuals on lower incomes through various organisations.
Q What is the approved contractor scheme and when will it be launched?
A. This enables private security companies to apply to the SIA for recognition that they meet set criteria such as good business management and are focused on delivering high quality services. In turn they will be able to advertise themselves as SIA approved contractors.
Q Who will be on the project board, how often will it meet and how can businesses get in contact with it?
A. The project board will consist of three main members - two from the SIA and one from the Scottish Executive, plus the project manager. It will meet primarily at the beginning and towards the end of each stage of the implementation project to review progress and take decisions on whether any changes are required. Businesses can contact the board through the SIA - 0870 2430 100. The project manager, who has been appointed by the SIA specifically to manage this project will report to the project board.
Q How will it ensure that businesses are ready for implementation?
A. Considerable experience and expertise has been built up by the SIA through the implementation of regulation in England and Wales. The project board will draw upon this to ensure that Scotland is ready, this will include a comprehensive communications strategy to meet with and brief all interested parties to inform them what is happening, when it is happening and what needs to be done by whom in order to meet the requirement.
Q What happens in the meantime if I have concerns about the activities of an individual or business working in the private security industry?
A. Anyone who commits an offence is subject to the laws of the land and this is no different in the private security industry. Regulation will allow us to better control this by ensuring that we know who is working where and withdraw licences from those who are deemed to be unfit to work in the industry or run security companies. Therefore, if anyone - now or in the future - believes a security company or one of its staff is involved in criminal activity, then they should report the matter to the police.
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