Nursery World - Government ducks questions on CRB

Doubts have been raised about how seriously the Government is taking the issue of vetting of childcare staff, after a junior health minister failed to address a Labour MP's questions in the House of Commons. In a Commons debate last week on the vetting of childcare staff, David Lammy, a junior minister in the Department of Health, did not answer a series of points relating to the Criminal Records Bureau. Debra Shipley, MP for Stourbridge in the West Midlands, sought Government answers on issues including a complete list of all the organisations registered as umbrella bodies with the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB), compliance checks and the accuracy of the Police National Computer.

In a Commons debate last week on the vetting of childcare staff, David Lammy, a junior minister in the Department of Health, did not answer a series of points relating to the Criminal Records Bureau. Debra Shipley, MP for Stourbridge in the West Midlands, sought Government answers on issues including a complete list of all the organisations registered as umbrella bodies with the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB), compliance checks and the accuracy of the Police National Computer.

Ms Shipley told the Commons on 15 October that earlier this year she had asked a Home Office minister for a list of bodies registered with the CRB, only to be told that 'since most had not given their specific consent, it would not be appropriate'. Ms Shipley said, 'I must ask, "Why? What do they have to hide?"'

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