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Last Updated: Wednesday, 8 March 2006, 16:02 GMT

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Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill

AIM

To respond to a key recommendation from the Bichard Inquiry for a registration scheme, preventing those who are deemed to be unsuitable from gaining access to children or vulnerable adults through their work

MAIN PROVISIONS

BILL'S PROGRESS

Responsible department: Education & Skills

Origin: House of Lords

Introduced: 1 March 2006

Second reading: 28 March 2006

Committee stage: 2 & 3 May 2006

Report stage: 24 May 2006

Third reading: 7 June 2006

COMMONS:

First reading: 8 June 2006

Second reading: 18 June 2006

Committee stage: 23 October 2006

Report stage: 23 October 2006

Third reading: 23 October 2006

ROYAL ASSENT: 8 November 2006

A new vetting/barring scheme to prevent unsuitable people working with children and vulnerable adults

Early detection of those working with children or vulnerable adults who subsequently become unsuitable, and prevention of them continuing in this work

Abolition of three existing barring lists and creation of two lists - one for children and one for vulnerable adults

Enabling the Criminal Records Bureau to act as an effective information conduit for the new vetting/barring scheme

Some employees to be subject to mandatory checks

New powers and duties on the Police, Social Services, regulatory bodies and others to share information with, and receive information from, the new vetting/barring scheme

BACKGROUND

The bill follows the Bichard inquiry which made recommendations after the Soham murders. The report unearthed a series of errors, which enabled Ian Huntley to secure a job as a school caretaker despite a string of sex allegations against him.