Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of simplifying the system of criminal record disclosure.

The Government is committed to supporting people with convictions to overcome barriers to employment and move away from reoffending.

The criminal records disclosure regime plays an important role in striking a balance between the need to protect the public while enabling individuals to rebuild their lives. However, we recognise that the regime has evolved over a number of years and can be complex for individuals and employers to navigate, which is why we provide a disclosure checker and guidance online.

In recognition of Sir Brian Leveson’s Independent Review of Criminal Courts recommendation on criminal records, the Deputy Prime Minister confirmed that the Government will consider opportunities to simplify the criminal records regime to ensure it is clear and proportionate, particularly in relation to childhood offences.

As part of the youth justice system reform and delivery plan, published in May, we committed to set out a targeted, proportionate package of potential reforms for the childhood criminal records regime by the end of the year.