Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of whether the cost of acquiring the Security Industry Authority licence acts as a barrier to people entering the private investigation trade.

The fee for an individual Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence to conduct private investigations has not yet been confirmed. However, the SIA remains committed to minimising its costs and, in turn, the fees it charges, to ensure they are proportionate to the services provided. Indeed, the cost of an SIA three-year individual licence for designated private security industry sectors was reduced from £245 to £220 in January 2012 to reflect the reduced unit costs of processing applications.

Any changes made to the SIA’s licensing regime are subject to the principles of Managing Public Money and Her Majesty's Treasury and Home Office Ministers’ approval. As a public sector body the SIA has a duty to meet the requirements of the Equality Act 2010, including ensuring it does not discriminate against any applicants with protected characteristics, including those with disabilities.

Under the provisions of the Private Security Industry Act 2001, the SIA is responsible for licensing individuals who operate in designated sectors of the private security industry. If the SIA is made aware of companies deploying individuals without appropriate individual licences it would pursue the company under its enforcement strategy and prosecute any responsible individuals under the provisions of the Act.