Guernsey vetting scheme reviewed after UK changes

Guernsey's Home Department says it is considering its options after the UK government announced changes to its vetting and barring scheme.

The island signed up to the scheme in 2009 and set up the Guernsey Vetting Bureau to oversee it in October 2010.

The department said continued access to UK vetting systems was "essential".

But the coalition government's decision means many of those who work with children and vulnerable adults will no longer face criminal record checks.

Under the Protection of Freedoms Bill, the Vetting and Barring scheme will be abandoned.

Instead it proposes merging the Criminal Record Bureau with the Independent Safeguarding Authority to form a new body to deliver employment vetting services.

A spokesman for Guernsey's Home Department said it was considering the coalition government's proposals before deciding what action to take in the best interests of the local community.