The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (Amendment) (Provision of Information) Order 2025
This Order amends the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 to allow the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to share barred list information with several non-territorial police forces within the UK and those in the Crown Dependencies.
The amendment adds these forces to the list of recipients in section 50A(3) of the Act, improving information sharing to better safeguard vulnerable groups and enhance national security.
The Order received parliamentary approval and extends to England and Wales, coming into force the day after its enactment.
Arguments For
Improved Information Sharing: Extending information sharing to non-territorial police forces and Crown Dependencies enhances the protection of vulnerable groups by ensuring consistent safeguarding across all UK jurisdictions.
Enhanced National Security: The amendment strengthens national security by enabling better collaboration and information exchange between various police forces and authorities regarding individuals considered a risk.
Legal Basis: The amendment is made under the powers conferred by the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, providing a robust legal framework for the changes.
Evidence-Based Amendment: The changes reflect the need for improved inter-agency cooperation in safeguarding vulnerable groups, addressing potential gaps in information sharing that could compromise safety.
Arguments Against
Potential for Data Misuse: Expanding access to sensitive information could increase the risk of data misuse or breaches, requiring robust safeguards and oversight mechanisms to minimize these risks.
Implementation Challenges: Ensuring effective implementation across various independent police forces and agencies could present logistical and coordination challenges.
Resource Implications: The expanded information sharing might place increased demands on resources within the Disclosure and Barring Service and recipient agencies.
Unintended Consequences: Expanding the scope of information sharing could have unforeseen consequences, requiring careful monitoring and evaluation to identify and address any problems.
- Citation, commencement and extent (1) This Order may be cited as the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (Amendment) (Provision of Information) Order 2025 and comes into force on the day after the day on which it is made. (2) This Order extends to England and Wales.
This section details the order's name, effective date, and geographical scope.
The order's official title is the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (Amendment) (Provision of Information) Order 2025.
It becomes effective the day after its creation and applies to England and Wales.
- Amendment of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (1) The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 is amended as follows. (2) In section 50A(3) of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (provision of information to the police etc.)— (a) at the end of paragraph (a), for “, and” substitute a semicolon; (b) at the end of paragraph (b), insert— “; (c) the Chief Constable of the British Transport Police Force; (d) the Chief Constable of the Civil Nuclear Constabulary; (e) the Chief Constable of the Ministry of Defence Police; (f) the Director General of the National Crime Agency; (g) the Provost Marshal of the Royal Navy Police; (h) the Provost Marshal of the Royal Military Police; (i) the Provost Marshal of the Royal Air Force Police; (j) the Provost Marshal for serious crime; (k) the Chief Constable of the Isle of Man Constabulary; (l) the Chief Officer of the States of Jersey Police Force; (m) the Chief Officer of the salaried police force of the Island of Guernsey.”.
This section outlines the specific amendments made to the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006.
It modifies section 50A(3), which concerns providing information to the police. Subsection (2)(a) changes punctuation.
Subsection (2)(b) adds several new entities to the list of recipients who may receive barred list information, including various non-territorial police forces and police forces from the Crown Dependencies (Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey).
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