FOI release

Any SIA licence dispensation given to the Cabinet Office

Published 2 May 2024

Request

Please confirm whether a licence dispensation notice has been issued to the Cabinet Office for permission to not display front line SIA licences during licensable activities, due to press concerns.

Response

I can confirm that the SIA does hold this information.

A licence dispensation notice has not been issued to the Cabinet Office.

To clarify: licence dispensation notices do not permit licensed operatives to conduct licensable activities without displaying their licence. Licence dispensation notices allow SIA approved contractors to deploy operatives who are still going through the licence application process (and so do not yet have a licence). Further information on licence dispensation notices can be found here: Guidance on the use of licence dispensation

The SIA can grant permission to licensed operatives to not display their licence whilst working. This is different from a licence dispensation notice. Permission to not display the licence is temporarily added as an additional condition attached to the licence.

[Reference: FOI 0498]