Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of requiring newly elected councillors to undergo Disclosure and Barring Service checks after taking office.

We keep local government member criminal record check policy under review.

All local government members are eligible for Basic criminal records checks provided by the Disclosure and Barring Service. Members in unitary and upper tier authorities who are being considered for appointment to any committee involved in decisions on the provisions of children’s services or services for vulnerable adults are additionally eligible for Enhanced criminal record checks.

Criminal record checks can help local authorities assess members’ suitability for specific roles. It is for each individual local authority to adopt their own member criminal record check procedures where they think it necessary.