To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 19 March 2009, on the Vetting and Barring Scheme, what the reason is for the period of time taken between implementing the provisions of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 in October 2009 and the scheme becoming fully operational in July 2010; and what assessment she has made of the likely effects of this period on the operation of the scheme. (269247)

The commencement of new applications under section 24 of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 will take place in July 2010 to enable full implementation and testing of the new IT systems which are required to introduce the scheme effectively, including a contingency period. In the period from October 2009, the Independent Safeguarding Authority will be able to bar from the full range of regulated activities with children or vulnerable adults any cases referred to it in which it considers the individual referred to be unsuitable for such work.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the monthly operating costs of the Independent Safeguarding Authority (a) at present and (b) once the Vetting and Barring Scheme becomes fully operational in July 2010. (269248)

The present monthly operating costs of ISA are budgeted at c. £1.075 million (£12.9 million for 2009-10).

The monthly operating costs of ISA once the scheme becomes fully operational in July 2010 are estimated to be £3.33 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what electronic databases will be used by the Independent Safeguarding Authority to operate the Vetting and Barring Scheme. (269249)

The Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) will operate a database maintaining the lists of those barred from working with children or vulnerable adults in accordance with section 2 of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006. It will also operate two databases maintaining two lists of those who are ISA registered and able to work with children and vulnerable adults together with a casework management system.

It will be provided with relevant information by the Criminal Records Bureau, which has access to information recorded on the Police National Computer and other police systems.