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    NOTES

    The Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 received Royal Assent on 18th April 2007 and in the main came into effect immediately.


    The Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Bill was introduced in the Scottish Parliament on 25th September 2006. It's main purpose is to establish a list of individuals unsuitable to work with children and to establish a separate list of individuals unsuitable to work with protected adults. It also replaces enhanced criminal record certificates with new disclosure records for those working with vulnerable groups, whether paid or unpaid and covers various ancillary matters.

    It repeals the Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003 and makes many changes to the Police Act 1997 in relation to Scotland.

    The Bill received Royal Assent on 18th April 2007 as the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007. Most of the Act came into effect immediately. Parts are brought into effect on 1st September 2007 by Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 (Commencement No. 1) Order 2007, SSI 2007/385. A second commencement order the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 (Commencement No. 2) Order 2007, SSI 2007/564, was made on 18th December 2007 and a third, the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 (Commencement No. 3) Order 2010, SSI 2010/133 was made on 25th March 2010. A raft of other relevant statutory instruments followed.

    There are full Official Explanatory Notes to Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 on the Scottish Parliament website and a webpage at www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/bills/73-ProtVulGro/index.htm covers progress of the Bill up to enactment.

    Although the English government announced a review of the English Vetting and Barring Scheme on 15th June 2010, the Scottish government is pressing ahead (see 2010/06/29 - Scottish Government Press Release "Protection for Vulnerable Groups".

    For relevant general notes Criminal law aspects/vetting of job applicants .

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    updated June2010