Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to introducing a (1) registration, or (2) other oversight, scheme for companies providing security services, in association with the introduction of the Protect Duty.

Volume 1 of the report of the Manchester Arena Inquiry recommended that “consideration should be given to whether contractors who carry out security services should be required to be licensed” (Recommendation 8). The Government has given careful consideration to this and is not persuaded that licensing businesses in this way would deliver improvements in public safety that would be proportionate to the significant increases in regulatory burdens that this would entail. Instead, the Government has asked the Security Industry Authority, which regulates the private security industry, to consider how its voluntary Approved Contractor Scheme can help to further drive quality standards in security provision.

Separately, the National Counter Terrorism Office (NaCTSO) are looking to develop a voluntary Competent Person scheme. The Competent Person Scheme will involve a Competent Person in the Workplace qualification and the Counter Terrorism Security Specialist Register. This register will recognise existing skills and qualifications within the sector, whilst also providing reassurances to businesses that a counter terrorism specialist has the necessary skills to appropriately advise on risk and suitable mitigation measures.