Explanatory note

These Regulations, which come into force on 31 July 2009, make provision in relation to certificates of criminal records etc under Part V of the Police Act 1997 (“the 1997 Act”).

Regulation 2 prescribes Access Northern Ireland and the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency as police forces for the purposes of section 113B of the 1997 Act. The effect of this is to confer on those bodies functions of providing information in relation to applications for enhanced criminal record certificates.

Regulation 3(2) provides that Access Northern Ireland is prescribed as a relevant police force for the purposes of an application for an enhanced criminal records certificate only in circumstances where the application made shows no UK residence address in the last 5 years and where no other police force appears to be relevant to the application.

Regulation 4 adds new Regulation 11 to the Police Act 1997 (Criminal Records) (Disclosure) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 to make provision for the taking of fingerprints from applicants for the purpose of ascertaining the identity of an applicant.