Actions taken against an SIA approved contractor
Published 20 September 2022
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1. Request
[Redacted] was reported to the SIA in January for failure to pay their invoice (reported through the SIA website). Please can I ask:
- for details of actions the SIA has taken against [redacted] regarding the above?
- how many SIA employees are the contacts of [redacted] [the company’s Compliance Manager], their positions and which departments they work in within the SIA?
- the percentage of SIA approved contractors who have the special privilege of having SIA contacts that give them an advantage over other approved contractors?
- how the SIA maintains impartiality while allowing some approved contractors to have ‘back route’ contacts?
2. Response
I can confirm that the SIA holds the information that you have requested.
2.1 Details of actions the SIA has taken
When the SIA receives information from a member of the public regarding the conduct of a private security business or its operatives it is treated as intelligence. This is because any information received can only be utilised by the SIA in so far as it informs any investigation into breaches of the Private Security Industry Act 2001 or the licence / ACS criteria and conditions.
The SIA does not typically release intelligence or provide an update regarding any action taken in relation to intelligence. This policy was developed in line with the Freedom of Information Act, which provides public authorities with an exemption from disclosing information relating to investigations and proceedings an authority conducts (section 30) and from disclosing any information that would prejudice the authorities ability to exercise its statutory functions (section 31). Subsection (3) of both of these sections provides the SIA with an exemption from or denying whether any intelligence is held.
The SIA acknowledges there is a public interest in the public being made aware of whether and what action is taken by the SIA in relation to intelligence it holds because it allows for public scrutiny of its effectiveness as a regulator and contributes to public confidence regarding standards within the security industry.
However, the SIA considers there is a more significant public interest in ensuring that the disclosure of intelligence should not prejudice its ability to conduct is investigations and exercise its regulatory functions, for example by protecting the integrity of ongoing and/or future investigations.
2.2 SIA contacts of [redacted]
No employees at the SIA are the specific contacts of [redacted].
2.3 Percentage of approved contractors with SIA contacts
No SIA approved contractors are afforded any special privileges of having contacts at the SIA in order to give them an advantage over other approved contractors.
2.4 Maintaining impartiality
No approved contractors have any ‘back route’ contacts. The Approved Contractor Scheme sets out clear standards that we expect companies to adhere to, and we apply and enforce this without favour.
[Reference: FOI 0353]