Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what system they use to process advanced DBS checks for professionals newly arrived in the UK from Hong Kong and applying for jobs; and what risk assessment they have made of the consequences of seeking information from the Hong Kong Police Force when carrying out such checks.

The system for processing DBS checks for professionals newly arrived from Hong Kong is the same as the system used for all applicants regardless of where an individual is from. The DBS takes its information from what is held on the Police National Computer (PNC) and does not seek information from the Hong Kong Police Force when carrying out such checks.

Information about overseas criminal records is entered on the Police National Computer (PNC) only when the British police are advised by a police force from overseas, or an agency such as Interpol.

If an employer is recruiting people from overseas and wishes to check for any foreign criminal record, a DBS check can only access criminal records from the PNC and cannot access criminal records systems in other territories.

Where overseas criminal records are held on the PNC, these would be revealed as part of a DBS check, as appropriate.