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Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007

2007 asp 14 · Enacted 18 April 2007 · Extends to Scotland

Not fully up to date. 6 changes made by later legislation have not yet been written into this text, which is revised to 1 April 2026.

See the changes not yet applied
ProvisionChangeMade by
s. 13A-13CinsertedDisclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 s. 76(2)
s. 100(4)words insertedDisclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 s. 76(3)
sch. 2 para. 31(1)words repealedChildren (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 sch. para. 25(2)(a)(i)
sch. 2 para. 20words repealedChildren (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 sch. para. 25(2)(a)(ii)
sch. 2 para. 21words repealedChildren (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 sch. para. 25(2)(a)(iii)
sch. 2 para. 31words substitutedChildren (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 sch. para. 25(2)(b)

An Act of the Scottish Parliament to bar certain individuals from working with children or certain adults; to require the Scottish Ministers to keep lists of those individuals; to make further provision in relation to those lists; to establish a scheme under which information about individuals working or seeking to work with children or certain adults is collated and disclosed; to amend Part 5 of the Police Act 1997; to amend the meaning of school care accommodation service in the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001; and for connected purposes.

The Bill for this Act of the Scottish Parliament was passed by the Parliament on 8th March 2007 and received Royal Assent on 18th April 2007

Contents

  1. Part 1: The lists
  2. Duty to keep lists
  3. 1Duty of Scottish Ministers to keep lists
  4. Referrals
  5. 2Referral ground
  6. 3Reference following disciplinary action etc.
  7. 4Reference by employment agency
  8. 5Reference by employment business
  9. 6Reference relating to matters occurring before provisions come into force
  10. 6AReference by chief constable
  11. 7Reference by court Repealed
  12. 8Reference by certain other persons
  13. 9Failure to refer: offence
  14. Consideration whether to list
  15. 10Consideration whether to list: organisational referrals etc.
  16. 11Consideration whether to list: court referrals Repealed
  17. 12Consideration whether to list: vetting information etc.
  18. 13Consideration whether to list: inquiries
  19. Inclusion in list
  20. 14Automatic listing
  21. 15Inclusion in children's list after consideration
  22. 16Inclusion in adults' list after consideration
  23. Information relevant to listing decisions
  24. 17Information relevant to listing decisions
  25. 18Police information etc.
  26. 19Information held by public bodies etc.
  27. 20Information held by providers of regulated roles
  28. Appeals against listing
  29. 21Appeals against inclusion in children's list
  30. 22Appeals against inclusion in adults' list
  31. 23Further appeals in relation to inclusion in either list
  32. 24Appeals in relation to listing: supplementary
  33. Removal from list
  34. 25Application for removal from list
  35. 26Determination of application for removal from list
  36. 27Appeals against refusal to remove individual from list
  37. 28Late representations
  38. 29Removal from list
  39. Appeals and removals: information powers
  40. 29AAppeals and removals: application of sections 18 to 20
  41. Listing: supplementary
  42. 30Notice of listing etc.
  43. 30ANotification of health regulatory bodies etc.
  44. 31Relevant inquiries
  45. 32Individual not criminally responsible or unfit for trial: order treated as conviction
  46. 33Duty to notify certain changes
  47. Offences relating to regulated roles
  48. 34Barred individuals not to carry out regulated roles
  49. 35Organisations not to use barred individuals for regulated roles
  50. 36Personnel suppliers not to supply barred individuals for regulated roles
  51. 37Penalties for offences relating to regulated roles
  52. 37AOffences outside Scotland
  53. General and supplementary
  54. 38Police access to lists
  55. 39Restrictions on listing in children's list
  56. 40Restrictions on listing in adults' list
  57. 41Protection from actions for damages
  58. 42Power to regulate procedure etc.
  59. 43Transfer from 2003 Act list
  60. Part 2: Vetting and disclosure
  61. The Scheme
  62. 44The Scheme
  63. 45Participation in Scheme
  64. 45ADuration of Scheme membership
  65. 45BFailure to apply for renewal of Scheme membership
  66. 45CIndividuals must be scheme members to carry out regulated roles
  67. 45DOrganisations not to use individuals for regulated roles without confirming scheme membership
  68. 45EPower to require organisations to stop using individuals for regulated roles without scheme membership
  69. 45FPersonnel suppliers not to supply individuals for regulated roles without confirming scheme membership
  70. 45GPenalties for offences relating to regulated roles by individuals not in Scheme
  71. 45HOffences outside Scotland
  72. 46Confirmation of scheme membership
  73. 46ANotice of barred status
  74. Vetting information
  75. 47Enquiries about scheme members
  76. 48Scheme record
  77. 49Vetting information
  78. 50Duty to notify certain changes
  79. 51Correction of inaccurate scheme record
  80. 52ZAProcedure following correction of inaccurate scheme record Repealed
  81. Disclosure
  82. 52Disclosure of scheme records Repealed
  83. 52AReview of vetting information in scheme record Repealed
  84. 53Disclosure of short scheme records Repealed
  85. 54Provision of confirmation of scheme membership to third parties
  86. 55Disclosure conditions Repealed
  87. 56Crown work Repealed
  88. 57Disclosure restrictions Repealed
  89. 57AMeaning of “conviction” and “protected conviction” Repealed
  90. Removal from scheme
  91. 58Removal from scheme
  92. 59Withdrawal from scheme
  93. 59AWithdrawal from Scheme when under consideration for listing
  94. 60Notice of removal
  95. 61Retention of scheme records after removal
  96. Evidence of identity
  97. 62Evidence of identity
  98. 63Power to use fingerprints to check applicant's identity
  99. 64Power to use personal data to check applicant's identity
  100. Offences relating to confirmation of scheme membership
  101. 65Falsification of confirmation of scheme membership
  102. 66Unlawful disclosure of confirmation of scheme membership
  103. 67Unlawful requests for and use of confirmation of scheme membership
  104. 68Unlawful disclosure etc.: supplementary
  105. 69Penalties for offences relating to confirmation of scheme membership
  106. Fees, forms and other procedures
  107. 70Fees
  108. 71Forms
  109. 72Procedure
  110. Supplementary
  111. 73Consideration of suitability
  112. 74Delegation of vetting and disclosure functions
  113. 75Sources of information
  114. 76Police access to scheme information
  115. 77Disclosure of whether an individual is under consideration for listing
  116. Part 3: Amendment of Part 5 of the Police Act 1997
  117. 78Information in criminal conviction and record certificates
  118. 79Form of Part 5 applications
  119. 80Payment of fee for information from certain police forces
  120. 81Regulations about registration
  121. Part 4: School care accommodation services
  122. 82Meaning of “school care accommodation service”
  123. 83Application of fire safety rules to school care accommodation service
  124. Part 5: Supplementary and general
  125. 84Guidance
  126. 84AGuidance for chief constable
  127. 85Annual report
  128. 86Transfer of Disclosure Scotland staff etc.
  129. 87Power to give effect to corresponding legislation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
  130. 88Modification of enactments
  131. 89Offences by bodies corporate etc.
  132. 90Crown application
  133. Part 6: Interpretation
  134. 91Regulated roles
  135. 92Individuals barred from regulated roles
  136. 93Meaning of “harm”
  137. 94Meaning of “protected adult”
  138. 95Meaning of “work” Repealed
  139. 96Fostering
  140. 97General interpretation
  141. Part 7: Final provisions
  142. 98Ancillary provision
  143. 99Saving: disclosure of information
  144. 100Orders and regulations
  145. 101Commencement
  146. 102Short title
  147. Schedule 1: Relevant offences Repealed
  148. 1Paragraph 1 Repealed
  149. 2Paragraph 2 Repealed
  150. Schedule 2: Regulated roles with children
  151. Part 1: Preliminary
  152. Regulated roles with children
  153. 1Paragraph 1
  154. Exceptions to regulated roles with children
  155. 2Paragraph 2
  156. Definitions in relation to contact with children
  157. 3Paragraph 3
  158. Part 2: Activities
  159. Child protection
  160. 4Paragraph 4
  161. 5Paragraph 5
  162. 6Paragraph 6
  163. 7Paragraph 7
  164. Education and training
  165. 8Paragraph 8
  166. 9Paragraph 9
  167. 10Paragraph 10
  168. 11Paragraph 11
  169. Childcare
  170. 12Paragraph 12
  171. Care, health and accommodation services
  172. 13Paragraph 13
  173. 13AParagraph 13A
  174. 14Paragraph 14
  175. 14AParagraph 14A
  176. 15Paragraph 15
  177. 16Paragraph 16
  178. 17Paragraph 17
  179. 18Paragraph 18
  180. 19Paragraph 19
  181. 20Paragraph 20
  182. 21Paragraph 21
  183. 22Paragraph 22
  184. 23Paragraph 23
  185. 24Paragraph 24
  186. 25Paragraph 25
  187. Leisure activities
  188. 26Paragraph 26
  189. Sports activities
  190. 27Paragraph 27
  191. Religious activities
  192. 28Paragraph 28
  193. Miscellaneous
  194. 29Paragraph 29
  195. 30Paragraph 30
  196. Interpretation
  197. 31Paragraph 31
  198. 32Paragraph 32
  199. Part 3: General
  200. Power to amend schedule
  201. 33Paragraph 33
  202. 34Paragraph 34
  203. Schedule 3: Regulated roles with adults
  204. Part 1: Preliminary
  205. Regulated roles with adults
  206. 1Paragraph 1
  207. Exceptions to regulated roles with adults
  208. 2Paragraph 2
  209. Definition of contact with protected adults
  210. 3Paragraph 3
  211. Part 2: Activities
  212. Education, training and guidance
  213. 4Paragraph 4
  214. 5Paragraph 5
  215. Care, health and accommodation services
  216. 6Paragraph 6
  217. 6AParagraph 6A
  218. 7Paragraph 7
  219. 7AParagraph 7A
  220. 8Paragraph 8
  221. 9Paragraph 9
  222. 10Paragraph 10
  223. 11Paragraph 11
  224. 12Paragraph 12
  225. 13Paragraph 13
  226. 13AParagraph 13A
  227. 14Paragraph 14
  228. 14AParagraph 14A
  229. 14BParagraph 14B
  230. 15Paragraph 15
  231. 16Paragraph 16
  232. 17Paragraph 17
  233. 18Paragraph 18
  234. Leisure activities
  235. 19Paragraph 19
  236. Sports activities
  237. 20Paragraph 20
  238. Religious activities
  239. 21Paragraph 21
  240. Miscellaneous
  241. 22Paragraph 22
  242. 23Paragraph 23
  243. Interpretation
  244. 24Paragraph 24
  245. Part 3: General
  246. Power to amend schedule
  247. 25Paragraph 25
  248. 26Paragraph 26
  249. Schedule 4: Minor and consequential amendments and repeals
  250. Teaching Council (Scotland) Act 1965 (c. 19)
  251. 1Paragraph 1 Repealed
  252. 2Paragraph 2 Repealed
  253. 3Paragraph 3 Repealed
  254. 4Paragraph 4 Repealed
  255. Education (Scotland) Act 1980 (c. 44)
  256. 5Paragraph 5
  257. 6Paragraph 6
  258. 7Paragraph 7
  259. 8Paragraph 8
  260. Foster Children (Scotland) Act 1984 (c. 56)
  261. 9Paragraph 9
  262. 10Paragraph 10
  263. 11Paragraph 11
  264. 12Paragraph 12
  265. Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 (c. 46)
  266. 13Paragraph 13
  267. 14Paragraph 14
  268. 15Paragraph 15
  269. 16Paragraph 16
  270. 17Paragraph 17
  271. 18Paragraph 18
  272. 19Paragraph 19
  273. 20Paragraph 20
  274. 21Paragraph 21
  275. 22Paragraph 22
  276. 23Paragraph 23
  277. 24Paragraph 24
  278. 25Paragraph 25
  279. 26Paragraph 26
  280. Police Act 1997 (c. 50)
  281. 27Paragraph 27
  282. 28Paragraph 28
  283. 29Paragraph 29
  284. 30Paragraph 30
  285. 31Paragraph 31
  286. 32Paragraph 32
  287. 33Paragraph 33
  288. 34Paragraph 34
  289. 35Paragraph 35
  290. 36Paragraph 36
  291. 37Paragraph 37
  292. 38Paragraph 38
  293. 39Paragraph 39
  294. 40Paragraph 40
  295. 41Paragraph 41
  296. Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003 (asp 5)
  297. 42Paragraph 42
  298. Criminal Procedure (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2004 (asp 5)
  299. 43Paragraph 43
  300. Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 (asp 10)
  301. 44Paragraph 44
  302. Inquiries Act 2005 (c. 12)
  303. 45Paragraph 45
  304. Police, Public Order and Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2006 (asp 10)
  305. 46Paragraph 46
  306. Schedule 5Index