(1)    This Order may be cited as the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2010.

(2)    It comes into force on the day after the date on which it is made.

(3)    It extends to England and Wales only.

The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 is amended in accordance with the following provisions of this Order.

After article 3 insert the following new article—

(1)    Neither section 4(2) of, nor paragraph 3(3) of Schedule 2 to, the Act applies to a question to which paragraph (2) or (3) applies.

(2)    This paragraph applies to any question asked by or on behalf of any person (“A”), in the course of the duties of A's office or employment, in order to assess the suitability of the person to whom the question relates (“B”) for any work which is a controlled activity relating to children within the meaning of section 21 of the 2006 Act, where the person questioned is told at the time the question is asked, that by virtue of this Order, spent convictions are to be disclosed but only if that person knows that B—

(a)    is a person barred from regulated activity relating to children within the meaning of section 3(2) of the 2006 Act;

(b)    is included in the list kept under section 1 of the Protection of Children Act 1999; or

(c)    is subject to a direction made under section 142 of the Education Act 2002.

(3)    This paragraph applies to any question asked by or on behalf of any person (“A”), in the course of the duties of A's office or employment, in order to assess the suitability of the person to whom the question relates (“B”) for any work which is a controlled activity relating to vulnerable adults within the meaning of section 22 of the 2006 Act, where the person questioned is told at the time the question is asked, that by virtue of this Order, spent convictions are to be disclosed but only if that person knows that B—

(a)    is a person barred from regulated activity relating to vulnerable adults within the meaning of section 3(3) of the 2006 Act; or

(b)    is included in the list kept under section 81 of the Care Standards Act 2000.”.

For article 6, substitute the following—

(1)    Neither section 4(2) of, nor paragraph 3(3) of Schedule 2 to, the Act applies to a question to which paragraph (2) applies.

(2)    This paragraph applies to a question asked by or on behalf of any person in the course of that person's office or employment in the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man in order to assess the suitability of the person to whom the question relates for any purposes referred to in article 3 or 3A, where—

(a)    the person asking the question states that a corresponding question and purpose are also provided for in—

(i)    the Rehabilitation of Offenders (Exceptions) (Jersey) Regulations 2002 (“the Jersey Regulations”);

(ii)    the Rehabilitation of Offenders (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law 2002 (Commencement, Exclusions and Exceptions) Ordinance 2006 (“the Guernsey Ordinance”); or

(iii)    the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 2001 (Exceptions) Order 2001 (“the Isle of Man Exceptions Order”), and

(b)    the person questioned is one to whom article 3 or 3A would apply and is informed at the time the question is asked that spent convictions are to be disclosed.

(3)    Neither subsection (1) or (3) of section 4 of, nor paragraph 3(1) or (5) of Schedule 2 to, the Act apply to a question to which paragraph (4) applies.

(4)    This paragraph applies to a question asked by or on behalf of any person in the course of that person's office or employment in the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man in respect of a case or class of case and conviction specified in article 4 or for a purpose mentioned in article 5, where the person asking the question states that the Jersey Regulations or the Guernsey Ordinance or the Isle of Man Exceptions Order provides for a corresponding case or class of case and conviction or a corresponding purpose, and the person questioned is a person to whom article 4 or 5 would apply.”.

Signed by the authority of the Secretary of State

Claire M Ward

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State

Ministry of Justice

30th March 2010

This Order amends the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (“the Exceptions Order”).

Article 3 inserts a new article 3A into the Exceptions Order. It confers the right to ask questions regarding spent convictions and spent cautions where a person seeks to work in controlled activity with children or vulnerable adults within the meaning of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (c 47). This right is limited to circumstances where the person seeking such work is barred from regulated activity relating to children or vulnerable adults, or is still included in lists kept under section 1 of the Protection of Children Act 1999 (c 14), or section 81 of the Care Standards Act 2000 (c 14), or if the person is still subject to a direction made under section 142 of the Education Act 2002 (c 32).

Article 4 substitutes article 6 of the Exceptions Order. It makes similar provision in relation to the Isle of Man as already applies in relation to the Channel Islands. In its substituted form, it confers the right to ask questions regarding spent convictions and spent cautions in relation to offices, employment or other work etc in the Channel Islands or in the Isle of Man where there is corresponding provision in those places for the rehabilitation of offenders and the right to ask excepted questions for prescribed purposes.