To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent progress has been made to ensure that all those whose normal duties involve caring for, training, supervising or being in charge of vulnerable service personnel and those under the age of 18 are subject to monitoring under the provisions of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006. (294991)

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 applies to all service personnel who perform ‘regulated activity’ duties and to which the Act ordinarily applies. Additionally, the Act contains provisions which enable the armed forces to request that those who supervise or train under-18s apply to be registered and monitored under the new Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS), which was launched on 12 October 2009. To meet the increased safeguards introduced on that date, we have amended our policy and processes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether members of the armed forces required to work with recruits under the age of 18 are required to undergo Independent Safeguarding Authority checks. (295616)

[holding answer 26 October 2009]: Yes. Instructors within the Phase 1 and Phase 2 training environment, and their supervisors, will be subject to the Independent Safeguarding Authority registration and monitoring requirements when they become compulsory in November 2010.