(2) what the average waiting time for a Criminal Records Bureau check to be completed is;
(3) what change there has been in the average waiting time for a Criminal Records Bureau check to be completed was (a) in the last 12 months and (b) in the last five years;
(4) what percentage of those who apply for Criminal Records Bureau clearance waited for more than (a) 28 days and (b) two months over the average time taken to process a check in the last 12 months.
The Home Office sets the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) a number of performance targets each year and the efficiency of the process of completing a CRB check is measured within the context of these targets.
The CRB currently operates to a set of published service standards (PSS) which include to issue 90 per cent. of standard disclosures within 10 days and 90 per cent. of enhanced disclosures within 28 days.
The following table illustrates the CRB's performance for the last five years against the published service standards (PSS) target.
Standard Enhanced Target (percentage) Actual (percentage) Target (percentage) Actual (percentage) 2007-08 90 in 10 days 99.7 90 in 28 days 93.6 2006-07 90 in 10 days 98.8 90 in 28 days 84.9 2005-06 93 in 14 days 99.6 90 in 28 days 84.4 2004-05 93 in 14 days 97.6 90 in 28 days 89.9 2003-04 93 in 14 days 93 90 in 28 days 92.5
Data concerning the average time taken to complete a disclosure are not a performance target and are not collated by the CRB.
Average figures do not give an accurate indication of performance, since the times taken to complete checks may be affected by a number of factors, including but not restricted to the length of time it can take for an employer to deal with the initial application; the accurate completion of the application form; the clarity of the information provided; the existence of conviction or non-conviction information and the operational effectiveness of the Disclosure Units of the police forces involved in the enhanced disclosure process.