Regulations of the Industry in England and Wales
3.1 The Private Security Industry Act
2001 contains provisions to establish a Security
Industry Authority (SIA) for England and Wales whose
primary functions will be:
- to license individuals working in the private
security industry, including managers and directors of
companies; and
- maintain and improve standards within the
industry.
3.2 Individuals will require a licence before becoming
an employee or a manager in the industry or setting up a
private security firm. Individuals already working in the
industry will also require this licence. Licences will be
issued on the basis of:
- competence to undertake the duties within the
particular sector of the industry; and
- consideration of an applicant's full criminal
record, exempt from the provisions of the
Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
3.3 Those who were not considered competent or whose
criminal record was considered to make them unsuitable to
work in the industry would be refused a licence. For
managers and directors, Companies House registers of
undischarged bankruptcy and disqualified director status
would also be taken into account.
3.4 To ensure that licensing is effective, new offences
will be created for employing someone as a security
operative who is unlicensed, of offering security services,
or operating as a security operative without being
licensed. An Inspectorate is being established to carry out
spot checks on businesses to ensure compliance with the new
requirements.
3.5 The Home Office proposals do not involve the
licensing of private security companies. Building on
existing self-regulating mechanisms, an 'Inspected
Companies' scheme (Approved Companies scheme in England and
Wales) is being set up. Companies will be able to volunteer
to be inspected to the standards set for their particular
sector by the SIA. The SIA will be able to set different
criteria for different sectors of the industry. It will be
self-financing, with costs being recouped from licence
fees. Regulation will be phased in, starting in late
2003.