In February 2006, the Regulator announced that it was postponing the development of licensing for security consultants following a period of extensive consultation with individuals working within the sector. Through this consultation the SIA then liaised with a range of individuals who may fall within the scope of licensable activity, including individuals working within areas such as equipment installation, fraud prevention, security protection advice and information security. This research illustrated that the breadth of activity was diverse and wide-ranging. However, it also indicated that there was little evidence of any risk to the public being posed by these activities.
When the SIA announced the delay in early 2006, it committed to reviewing this position in 2007. Given the broad range of security consultant activities potentially covered by the Act, the lack of evidence that regulation is required to protect the public and the SIA’s ongoing strategic programme of work (which includes extending the scope of licensing to Northern Ireland and, potentially, bailiffs, the Regulator is now considering whether to recommend a further long-term delay to the Home Office minister. In effect, this would mean that the SIA would be unlikely to consider any approach for licensing this sector until 2010 (at the earliest).
Your Views
Before the Regulator makes this recommendation it would like info4security.com and SMT readers’ views on this approach. Specifically:
– Do you agree that the development of licensing for security consultants should be delayed until 2010, at the earliest?
– What security consultant activities, if any, do you believe pose a risk to the public and, therefore, require regulation? (please provide any evidence to support this view)
Readers should note that this is NOT a consultation on whether licensing should or shouldn’t be implemented in this sector (this would only be conducted through a regulatory impact assessment). At this stage the SIA is considering whether it should delay the work further.
Responses are required in writing, to be submitted to the SIA no later than Friday 18 May 2007
Responses should be sent to:
Security Consultant Survey
PO Box 49768
London
WC1V 6WY
The SIA will publish an update on the approach it is taking through its website following collation and review of the responses received.
