30th November 2007
SIA Launches Operation Festive Spice
The Security Industry Authority (SIA) will be working with partners to carry out a series of weekend checks on door staff at licensed premises during the run-up to the busy Christmas and New Year period.
SIA Investigators will be supported by regional police forces, licensing officers and local authorities as part of the nationwide multi-agency initiative designed to ensure that revellers can enjoy their nights out in a safe environment.
Jackie Munn, an SIA Head of Investigation, who is leading Festive Spice said:
"We will be working closely with our police partners, local authorities and the licensed trade in the busy time leading up to Christmas and the New Year. The multi-agency visits are a clear demonstration that everyone working together can make a positive contribution to public safety.
We want to ensure that the many people who go out during this period can do so, knowing that door staff, who play a key role in dealing with alcohol related crime and disorder are, trained, qualified and SIA licensed.
Door staff working without an SIA licence, and those deploying them, are committing an offence and licensees risk having their premises closed."
Licensees are urged to check that their security suppliers operate within the law. SIA licences can be checked through the Register of Licence Holders, available 24-hours on the SIA website.
30th November 2007
Application Status Checker
We have temporarily suspended our application status checker.
This is because we are carrying out planned improvements to our licensing system and we need to transfer information from the old service to the new one. Our contact centre will not be able to answer questions relating to your application for the same reason; however your application will continue to be processed.
Thank you for your patience whilst we work to improve our service and please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused.
29th November 2007
Licensing Becomes More Rigorous
We are continually improving the rigour of our licensing process and following a customer review we have implemented a range of new services to improve efficiency and to enhance the licensing experience. We have built tighter controls into our application procedures to ensure higher standards of security and improved information exchange with our operational partners, but because of that, we are refusing and revoking more licences than ever before. So far we have refused 9,700* licences and revoked about 700*.
This is good news because it means that licensing is still helping to drive up standards. But it makes it even more important that suppliers and users of licensed security operatives use our readily available public register of licence holders and register of revoked and suspended licences to check licensed status and the validity of licences.
Recently we announced changes to the identity documents that we accept for a licence application. These more robust requirements came into effect on 1 October 2007. We have been working hard with partners like the police service, the Identity & Passport Service and the Border and Immigration Agency to ensure that we share the right information to improve our decision-making.
We refuse licence applications if the identity, qualifications and fit and proper person criteria are not met. We revoke licences if something happens to change someone’s suitability or if we were given false information at the time of application.
We aim to process most valid licence applications within six weeks although some applications take longer because of the additional work or checks required. In particular, applicants who are non-EEA nationals should be aware that establishing their right to work in the United Kingdom may delay their application.
Employers still need to make sure they carry out responsible checks on their licensable employees, ensuring pre-employment checking systems are robust and follow good practice guidance, for instance, that employees have a legal right to work in the United Kingdom. Apart from the legal obligation to do this, it also makes sound business sense to avoid wasting time and money on training and applications should we refuse or revoke the licence. Remember, licence application fees are not refunded in these circumstances.
The definitive check as to whether someone is licensed is the public register not the licence card itself. Our registers of current licence holders and those who have had their licences suspended or revoked are available 24 hours a day on our website. It is essential that suppliers of licensable security operatives use these registers regularly to protect their customers, their reputations and to help reduce their own liability. It is an offence for a supplier to provide unlicensed security operatives where the activity is licensable and the public registers are an important tool to help avoid this happening. The registers should be used regularly and routinely to check new and existing licensable employees; we know that some suppliers are already doing this. Remember: the possession of a physical licence is reassuring for public display - it is not absolute confirmation that someone is licensed.
We constantly keep the licensing process under review to help ensure that only those entitled to do so achieve or retain licensed status. We will also aim to make our public registers easier to use for those legitimately entitled to access them; look out for improvements later in the year.
Working together we can ensure that licensing continues to protect the public from unsuitable people being in positions of trust and authority.
Andy Drane
Director of Operations
November 2007
* Figures quoted are accurate at time of writing
19th November 2007
Door Supervision Network
The first door supervision network meeting was held on 25 September 2007 in London. It was arranged and facilitated by the SIA as part of our Stakeholder Engagement Strategy. It provided an opportunity for representatives from the door supervision sector to meet, discuss and explore issues about the industry and SIA activities.
The second meeting will be hosted by UK Security Facilities Limited, and will be held on 23 January 2008 in Birmingham. If you would like to be considered as a participant please register your interest by 7 December 2007.
Please note: registering your interest to attend does not guarantee you a place at the meeting.
16th November 2007
SIA Targets High Risk Security Firms in Scotland
This week, teams of Investigators from the Security Industry Authority (SIA) visited construction and retail sites across Scotland's central belt; checking security staff were legally being deployed under the Private Security Industry Act 2001.
On 12th and 13th November, 53 sites (operated by 11 security companies) were visited and Investigators discovered 39 Section 3 offences (working without an SIA licence) and 1 Section 9 offence (not displaying an SIA licence). Further action is being considered.
11 operatives were deployed lawfully and were wearing their SIA licences.
Jennifer Pattinson, an SIA Head of Investigation said:
"It is disappointing that a large number of security operatives were deployed and working without SIA licences. Of the 11 companies targeted, we identified and warned 10 of them in September that they were in danger of not being adequately prepared for licensing. Two months on and most of these companies are acting unlawfully by deploying unlicensed staff.
As we make clear in our published enforcement policy - we always take a fair and proportionate approach to any enforcement action and we work with individuals and companies to help them comply with the law. However, we expect compliance with the law at all times and further action may be taken under the terms of the Private Security Industry Act 2001."
14th November 2007
Right to work checks
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.
We work closely with security companies to remind them of their legal obligations and best practice when establishing the rights of their potential employees to work but employers should not accept the possession of an SIA licence as proof of this right.
Since July this year we have worked with the Border and Immigration Agency (BIA) to carry out right to work checks on 100 per cent of those applicants that are non-EEA nationals (EEA nationals have an automatic right to work in the UK). Swift action has also been taken to ensure that all current and previous SIA applications undergo right to work checks through the BIA.
Where it is subsequently discovered that a licence holder does not have the right to work in the UK, or the right to work has expired, the SIA licence will be revoked. However, it is inevitable that criminals and illegal workers will seek to obtain licences to which they are not entitled and we continue to work closely with BIA to share resources and information to target illegal working.
| You may wish to download a copy of the statement given by the Home Secretary to Parliament on Tuesday 13 November 2007 (download size: 64kb) |
Security Employers: If you are an employer of security operative you should ensure that you understand your obligations to prevent false identities and illegal working. You should ensure your pre-employment checking systems are robust and follow good practice guidance. If you discover or reasonably suspect a licence holder or job / licence applicant who has used a false identity or is an illegal worker, tell us immediately
Security Buyers: If you buy in contracted security services you should seek assurances from your security supplier that they have carried out the necessary checks on their staff as required under Section 8 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996.
For clarification on the right to work of individuals contact the Border and Immigration Agency employers helpline on 0845 010 6677.
8th November 2007
SIA Invites Small Businesses in the Private Security Industry to Form Network
As part of the Security Industry Authority (SIA) stakeholder engagement strategy, the SIA is inviting small businesses of the private security sectors currently licensed by the SIA to register their interest in attending a network meeting with the SIA and a representative sample of their peers.
The meeting will be a good opportunity for representatives from small businesses (those employing up to 25 employees) to meet, discuss and explore issues about the industry and SIA activities.
The SIA will arrange and facilitate the first meeting, after which it is anticipated that this new interest group will self manage subsequent meetings.
This is a chance for people in small businesses to engage with the SIA and others in the industry, to act as a contributor to the meetings and discuss topical issues.
The Small Business Network meeting will be held on Tuesday 8 January 2008, at a central London location. If you wish to express an interest in attending the meeting, please visit this page and register your interest by 30 November 2007.
7th November 2007
Over 400 SIA Approved Contractors
The Security Industry Authority (SIA) is pleased to announce that 18 months since the Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS) was launched on 20 March 2006, over 400 companies have now achieved ACS status.
Andrew Shephard, SIA Assistant Director, ACS said:
"The Approved Contractor Scheme continues to attract new applicants with more companies than originally forecast seeking and achieving ACS status.
Over 400 security companies are now approved, employing more than 99,000 licensable staff - which is approaching half of the licensable security population in Great Britain.
ACS companies are demonstrating improved standards and professionalism and buyers of security services can have peace of mind knowing they have the best people in the private security industry working for them."
1st November 2007
Heralds New Era for the Private Security Industry in Scotland
From today, it will be compulsory for individuals working in certain sectors of the private security industry in Scotland to hold a Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence.
With Scotland joining England and Wales there is now one security regulatory body with a single set of security licences for the whole of Great Britain.
The SIA has worked closely with the Scottish Government, Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, (ACPOS) and the security industry in Scotland to ensure that all those who required a licence were aware of the legislation and could be ready for 1 November.
To date, over 247,000 people are licensed to work in the regulated security industry throughout Great Britain and there are 398 companies recognised as SIA Approved Contractors.
Kenny MacAskill, Scottish Minister for Justice said:
"1 November heralds a new era for the private security industry in Scotland. Much work has been done over recent years to develop the private security industry and to ensure that it plays a full role in helping to protect the public.”
“Regulation will assist this process by driving out the bad guys and continue the development of an industry for the 21st century.”
Michael Wilson, Chief Executive of the SIA said:
“I would like to pay tribute to our partners - the Scottish Government, the Police and the Councils in Scotland, and to the private security industry in Scotland - for helping us get to this point. It has been a real joint effort. We look forward to working with our partners, to enforce the new legislation effectively, to further drive out criminality from the sector, and to promote recognition of the private security industry as a valuable partner in protecting the public.”
Speaking on behalf of ACPOS, Chief Superintendent Andrew Laing of Fife Constabulary said:
"We will support the Security Industry Authority in all of its efforts to ensure that the industry is free of criminal influence. The industry plays a major role in providing a safe and secure environment for communities – whether that be safeguarding property, stewarding licensed premises or managing crowds at football matches and other major events. It is vitally important that the services they provide are professional and trustworthy.”
SIA News Archive October/September 2007
