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Disclosure and Barring Service

Asked by Jess Brown-FullerLiberal DemocratHome OfficeTabled Answered 10 July 2025UIN 64925

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to set up an independent body to process Disclosure and Barring Service checks with formalised processing time targets.

Answered by Jess Phillips

As an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body of the Home Office, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is already an operationally independent body. It also already operates to formalised service standards of completing 85% of Basic check applications within 2 days, 85% of Standard check applications within 3 days, and 80% of Enhanced check applications within 14 days.

Its latest performance against these service standards is available at DBS dataset 1: DBS checks, DBS Update Service, and disputes - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

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