Sample Policy on the Secure Handling, Use, Storage and Retention of Disclosure Information
Part V of the Police Act 1997 is aimed at helping employers and other organisations assess the suitability of applicants for particular posts and to make safer recruitment decisions in relation to positions of trust by widening access to criminal record information. The Act provides for the issue of criminal conviction certificates, criminal record certificates and enhanced criminal record certificates. In Scotland, these certificates are issued by Disclosure Scotland. In practice, the certificates are known as Basic, Standard and Enhanced Disclosures respectively.
The Act also provides for a Code of Practice to be published by Ministers governing the use of all information issued in respect of Standard and Enhanced Disclosures. The Code requires all recipients of such Disclosure information to comply with the Code and to handle, store and dispose of that information appropriately.
Registered Bodies are therefore required to have a written policy on the handling, holding and destroying of Disclosure information, and to ensure that any body or individual, at whose request applications for Standard and Enhanced Disclosures are countersigned, has such a written policy.
Disclosure Scotland, as part of its compliance audit procedures, should be provided on request with copies of organisations' policies. We may require changes to be made to such policies.
Disclosure Scotland has produced the following sample policy statement to assist organisations which do not already have such a policy to comply with the Code of Practice. This policy can be used or adapted as necessary.
Click HERE for a MS Word version of the policy.
