Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to recent changes to the Security Industry Authority license to incorporate first aid training, whether her department has made an assessment of the effect of those changes on the (a) potential financial implications and (b) demand for jobs within the security industry; and whether she has received representations on the reasons for the those changes.

The Security Industry Authority (SIA) recently updated training requirements for those applying for a front-line SIA licence. These changes followed the SIA’s last five-year review of its training standards and are designed to ensure that people working in the private security sector can continue to keep the public safe. From 1 April 2021 first time applicants for a door supervisor or security guard licence are expected to complete a first aid qualification as part of their licence-linked training. This will be a requirement for people renewing their licences from October 2021.

The Home Office received a detailed explanation of the reasons for these changes and fully considered the SIA’s assessment of the impact of these reforms. The SIA conducted robust research within the industry on skills requirements, including consulting with industry experts, to inform the drafting of the new qualification specifications. The SIA also carried out two rounds of public consultation on all of the revised qualification specifications. These resulted in over 6,000 responses to the SIA which were mostly from licence holders.

Applicants will have choices that will affect how much they will pay. They have choices about which training provider to use, and what method of learning to use (for example, the proportion of self-study, remote and in-person learning), which affects the length of time required to complete it.