News Release issued by
the COI News Distribution Service on 22 September 2009
The Security
Industry Authority (SIA) is prioritising its use of better
regulation principles and has made real progress improving its
performance as a regulator, according to a new report published
today by the Better Regulation Executive.
The report, part of a
series of reviews of national regulators, examined how the SIA
matched up to the principles of effective regulation set out by
Philip Hampton in 2005. The SIA, which regulates the growing
private security industry, has placed a high priority on
implementing these principles across their work. The SIA
currently licences 300,000 operatives and has approved 631
security companies across the UK.
The report found that:
the SIA’s Approved Contractor Scheme has helped raise standards
and encouraged exchange of good practice within the
industry;communication with stakeholders, which had been
problematic, had improved as the SIA were engaging constructively
and proactively with businesses; andcriminality in the industry,
whilst not eliminated, had been reduced through the work of the
SIA.
The report highlighted that the SIA could further improve
performance by integrating risk assessment into strategic
planning, improving customer focus and some aspects of
communication with stakeholders.
Notes to Editors
The Better Regulation Executive’s full report on the Security
Industry Authority can be found at www.bis.gov.uk/ The review took
place in January 2009The Security Industry Authority was created
in April 2003 under the Private Security Industry Act 2001. Its
two key roles are to reduce criminality and improve standards in
the security industry.The review team was drawn from the Better
Regulation Executive within the Department for Business,
Innovation and Skills and from government and the regulatory
sector, including the NAO, Charity Commission and Trading
Standards Institute.The Hampton Implementation Review process,
that will examine a total of 31 national regulators, follow two
independent reports by Sir Philip Hampton and Professor Richard
Macrory on making inspection and enforcement of regulation more
effective. The Hampton Review in 2005 - led by Sir Philip Hampton
- recommended an end to the one size fits all approach to
regulation and that regulators should take a risk-based approach
to enforcement and information gathering. Among its findings were
that regulators should carry out inspections only when needed and
avoid unnecessary form-filling and duplication of effort or
information. In 2006 Professor Richard Macrory's review
of penalties for failure to comply with regulatory obligations
recommended that regulators should focus on outcomes, rather than
action. He recommended that sanctions should be aimed at changing
the behaviour of non-compliant businesses and eliminating any
financial gain from non-compliance.
Examples of how individuals and businesses are benefiting from
changes to regulation can be found on www.betterregulation.gov.uk.
The site also invites suggestions for what else can be done to
reduce red tape.
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is
building a dynamic and competitive UK economy by: creating the
conditions for business success; promoting innovation, enterprise
and science; and giving everyone the skills and opportunities to
succeed. To achieve this it will foster world-class universities
and promote an open global economy. BIS - Investing in our future
Contacts:
BIS Press Office
NDS.BIS@coi.gsi.gov.uk
Joe Upton
Phone: 020 7215 5959
Joe.Upton@bis.gsi.gov.uk