Working the Doors

There is no legal responsibility for the SIA to carry out right to work checks; that is the role of the employer. Whilst we have no legal duty to check the right to work of individuals in our licensing decisions, we are continually improving our processes to ensure as far as we reasonably can that SIA licence holders are not illegal workers.

Since July 2007, we have worked with the Border and Immigration Agency (BIA) to check the right to work in the United Kingdom of all new SIA licence applicants who are non-EEA nationals. Action was also taken to ensure that all non-EEA nationals holding existing SIA licences underwent the same right to work check through the BIA.

At the end of last year, where it was discovered that a licence holder did not appear to have the right to work in the UK, we wrote to them informing them that we were minded to revoke their licence(s) unless they could demonstrate their right to work. Each of these individuals had 21 days to provide this evidence before their licence was revoked. If we did not receive a response within the 21 days the decision to revoke their licence automatically took effect. The law allows a further 21 days in which the licence holder may exercise their right of appeal to a Magistrate's Court, Sheriff Court or District Court.

Download a copy of the statement given by Vernon Coaker (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Crime Reduction) to Parliament on Thursday 31 January 2008 (download size: 12kb)

The Security Industry Authority (SIA) can now release the results of Festive Spice, the multi-agency campaign which saw the SIA and partners carrying out a series of weekend checks on door staff at licensed premises across Great Britain.

SIA Investigators congratulated licensees and door staff during the busy festive time.

"The results for Festive Spice are very positive. Christmas and New Year are extremely busy times for the licensed trade that is why, for public safety, it is vital that door staff are trained, qualified and SIA licensed.

We worked closely with our partners across the country and we were all impressed with the levels of professionalism and commitment shown by door supervisors, and the level of compliance with the law.

Door staff have an important role to play in the fight against criminal activity, anti-social behaviour and underage drinking on licensed premises.

It is reassuring for the public that door supervisors and licensees recognise the importance and value of an SIA licence."

On Monday 21 January, the Security Industry Authority (SIA) and the British Security Industry Association (BSIA) held a joint seminar to inform security companies on the latest issues surrounding illegal workers in the security industry and to encourage best practice.

Presentations were given by the SIA, Border and Immigration Agency (BIA) and two security guarding companies gave case studies of their experiences in checking the right to work status of their employees.

"We wanted to ensure that security employers were well-informed about the illegal worker situation and it was good to hear about companies addressing the problem effectively.

With security employers fulfilling their responsibility through the use of best practice and the increasing rigour of the SIA licensing procedures, between us we can significantly reduce the risk of illegal migrant working in the security industry."

Register of licence holders, register of revoked licences, reporting illegal activity: www.the-sia.org.uk
Border and Immigration Agency: www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk (features the booklet Comprehensive Guidance for United Kingdom Employers on Changes to the Law on Preventing Illegal Working)
Home Office micro-site about checking the right to work: www.employingmigrantworkers.org.uk
From next month, employers can be fined up to £10,000 for every illegal worker they negligently hire or could face up to two years in prison

The Security Industry Authority (SIA) has asked Cragg Ross Dawson (CRD), an independent research agency, to carry out some research into the industry's views of the SIA's policies regarding licensing.

The research will involve confidential interviews with door supervisors, security guards and managers of security companies, to gain a broad understanding of what people think of the SIA.

Potential respondents will be sent a letter informing them about the research and asking them for their contribution. Later, Cragg Ross Dawson recruiters will contact some of the potential respondents by telephone to ask if they would like to take part, and if so fieldwork interviews will be held in January and early February.

The information gathered in the interviews will be collated and analysed to produce a report, which will be published in the spring.

The outcome of the research could influence the way in which the SIA operates in the future.

All respondents will be guaranteed complete anonymity and nothing said in the interviews will be divulged to the SIA or any other organisation in a form that is attributable to individuals or companies.

For more information about Craig Ross Dawson, visit
http://www.craggrossdawson.co.uk

The Security Industry Authority is committed to being a model of good regulation. We will be Proportionate, Accountable, Consistent, Transparent and Targeted in all our work