Licences to be introduced

Security Industry Authority

The Security Industry Authority are currently developing the approach to licensing Private Investigators. The approach will be based on the requirements of the Private Security Industry Act 2001 and will take into account the findings of the consultation process.

According to the Act you will need an SIA licence if you are involved in any surveillance, inquiries or investigations that are carried out for the purposes of obtaining information about a particular person or about the activities or whereabouts of a particular person; or if you are involved in obtaining information about the circumstances in which, or means by which, property has been lost or damaged.

The position so far

Thw Security Industry Authority (SIA) are developing the approach to the licensing of private investigation activities. The Security Industry Authority is the organisation responsible for regulating the private security industry.

During 2005 and 2006 they consulted extensively with individuals and representatives working within private investigation on the possible approaches for licensing.

The options for licensing were presented by the Home Office in a partial Regulatory Impact Assessment in August 2007. Individuals and organisations with an interest in this sector had an opportunity to respond with their comments. The responses to the consultation were published by the Home Office in May 2008.

Following the Home Office's recommendation to introduce competency-based licensing, an interim version of the Impact Assessment confirming the intention to develop the regulation was published in September 2008.

An announcement is expected by April 2009 on the licensing criteria and licensing timetable.

Regulation will be a good thing in the long term. It will eventually put the Sector on the road to become a profession and capture all Operatives undertaking licensable activities, regardless of job title.

Precognition Agents

Precognition agents interview witnesses for the purposes of, or in anticipation of, criminal or civil proceeding in Scotland. Proposals for the licensing of precognition agents are being considered in parallel with the development of licensing for private investigators. This is because of a similarity in the activities undertaken by both groups.