NAO discloses Criminal Records Bureau failings

The Government agency launched to help employers check the criminal records of potential staff has not operated as it should have and is still suffering delays.

In a new report, the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB), which is supposed to check the background of employees working with children or vulnerable adults, has been heavily criticised by the Government's spending watchdog, the National Audit Office (NAO).

The NAO reported that, although things were improving, the CRB had suffered massive delays and was still not offering the service it promised.

The report blamed business 'assumptions' and over ambition for some of the delays and said the CRB had not undertaken enough market research.

The CRB estimated that between 70 and 85 per cent of applications would be by phone or online, when in fact more than 80 per cent were written.