Vetting: Standards
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce delays in the processing of Disclosure and Barring Service check; and what assessment she has made of the impact that such delays have on individuals awaiting employment.
Answered by Natalie Fleet
As an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body of the Home Office, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is operationally independent and responsible for the service it provides.
The DBS operates to service standards of completing 85% of Basic check applications within two days, 85% of Standard check applications within three days, and 80% of Enhanced check applications within 14 days. Its latest performance data against those service standards is available here. DBS dataset 1: DBS checks, the DBS Update Service, and disputes - GOV.UK
Achievement of the Enhanced check performance target continues to be impacted by delays at the police checking stage. DBS’s is working to improve performance for Enhanced DBS checks. This focuses on prioritising cases and supporting those police forces not attaining agreed turnaround times, including working with forces on recruitment. DBS is also working on enhancing matching algorithms and collaborating strategically with National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC).
I appreciate the impact delays in processing checks can have on those awaiting employment. Nonetheless, it is of utmost importance from a safeguarding perspective that DBS and police forces make the correct decisions to ensure that applications are processed accurately and correctly.
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