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MPs and peers could be forced to submit to criminal record checks under proposals submitted by a new Labour MP.
In a letter seen by Sky News, Jo White urged the leader of the Commons to examine whether a new committee set up to modernise parliament should force all new members to have checks due to their access to young and vulnerable people.
She suggests in-depth background checks by the Disclosure and Barring Service – commonly known as DBS checks – as the initial stages of introducing MPs to parliament.
Candidates are currently banned from running to be an MP if they have been jailed for more than a year in the UK.
However, there is no requirement for DBS checks, something most other jobs require when applying for positions working with vulnerable people.
Ms White previously submitted an early-day motion on this issue, with cross-party signatures including 13 other Labour MPs supporting her motion.
In her letter to the committee, the Bassetlaw MP writes: “It is a privilege that, as parliamentarians, we can work with local schools, care homes and hospitals, but we must be proactive in preserving this trust.
“Implementing a mandatory check would protect both the people we visit and ourselves. It would be key to maintaining public trust and high workplace standards across the estate and in our constituencies.”
DBS checks are standard practices for GPs, nurses, teachers and other professions. They let potential employers know if a candidate has a criminal record or is banned from working with children or vulnerable adults.
Many local authorities already run DBS checks on elected officials but it’s not standard practice in parliament.
Prospective MPs can stand for election despite having a criminal record or appearing on the child-barred list or adult-barred list unless they have served a prison term over 12 months.
In fact, they do not need to disclose any criminal behaviour to the public prior to becoming a candidate.
The main vetting process…
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