The Security Industry Authority (SIA), of course, currently regulates the private security industry through the compulsory licensing of individuals who work as security officers, including door supervisors, CCTV operatives and those involved in close protection details.
Fresh proposals, which are now the subject of a public consultation, would move responsibility for the standards and behaviour of 330,000 security staff from the SIA onto an estimated 4,200 businesses currently operating in the UK.
This will free up the Regulator to focus its resources on driving up standards across the industry and combating organised criminality by targeting companies or employees that fail to meet required standards.
As the industry Regulator, the SIA will have a range of penalties at its disposal for businesses that do not uphold standards, including banning them from working in the private security industry and even criminal prosecution.
The change will also reduce costs on both individual licensees and the private security industry as a whole. At present, it’s estimated that businesses usually pay the costs of licences for their staff. New proposals would mean that the process for licensing individuals would rely on usual recruitment processes, in turn removing duplicate costs and reducing the SIA’s role.
This will then reduce costs on the industry and achieve savings from which customers are expected to benefit.
Government: committed to reform
Lord Taylor of Holbeach, the minister for criminal information, said: “The Government is committed to reforming the private security industry in order to improve transparency and accountability. Our plans will raise standards and free up the SIA to concentrate on stamping out poor business practices and criminality.”
He continued: “It’s also important that legitimate businesses are not overburdened by Government regulation and red tape. By lowering the cost of regulation on the industry, savings can be passed onto the customers.”
The SIA is to set the conditions for business regulation, which will include ensuring that businesses are fit and proper by checking the identity, financial probity and criminality of the businesses involved and those running them.
The Regulator will approve businesses to work and maintain a register of regulated businesses and licensed individuals.
Criminality checks on individuals will still be carried out by the SIA.
Better, quicker and cheaper regulation
Bill Butler, the SIA’s chief executive, stated: “The SIA has been working with the private security industry to deliver better, quicker and cheaper regulation. We welcome the Government’s proposal for more efficient and cost-effective regulation which will continue to reduce criminality, protect the public and improve standards within the industry.”
In a video message to the industry, the CEO commented: “We want to ensure that, before committing to any action, we have listened to your views to ensure that we have identified all the relevant issues. This is why we encourage everyone who’s involved in the private security industry, at whatever level, to take part in the consultation. This is your industry and this is an opportunity for you to have a say on its future direction.”
The public consultation on the future regulatory regime for the private security industry has been launched and will run for eight weeks. That consultation period closes on 15 January 2013. The consultation paper is available on the Home Office website.
What happens next?
If the Government’s preferred option of making private security businesses across the UK more accountable is accepted, legislation to enable the reforms to take place would be passed by October 2013 with changes coming into force after this date.
A summary of responses will be published on the Home Office website following completion of the consultation period.
Subject to the outcome, the Home Office will then assess whether to implement the Government’s preferred option – a phased transition to a business regulation regime.
The Scottish Government and the Department of Justice for Northern Ireland have not yet decided whether they will adopt the changes proposed in the consultation.
The Governments of Scotland and Northern Ireland are taking part in the consultation to ensure that the views of those who live and work in Scotland and Northern Ireland can be taken into account. However, both Governments have indicated that they’re supportive of a consistent UK-wide regulatory regime for the private security industry.
I do wonder what this item has to do with ‘Lone workers’ This is about regulation of a part of the security industry.
Does not lone worker apply to lone guards in buildings
Locksmiths on a call – perhaps in the middle of the night
Gas, electric, or telephone engineers
Care workers
etc etc.
Your thought to my thoughts
Yeah, it’s funny – it’s not until we’ve got the site live that this looks a bit weird. Will definitely look into changing this, see how we go! We’re all about being aligned with our live events, hence the choices of the 7 category names!
It will develop – Some of the titles are a bit off putting but I’m sure as time goes we will understand.
Physical security would be one for me
and maybe a calender of events show etc – Not that I run more than two shows that is!!!!!