SIA Announces Revised Timetable for Business Licensing

The group was told:

• The Home Office remains committed to introducing business licensing
• The necessary arrangements to allow the SIA to start accepting business licence applications in April 2014 are not yet in place and therefore the ‘open for business’ date is postponed
• The Home Office will announce a revised business licensing timetable as soon as possible
• The industry will be given at least three months’ notice of the ‘open for business’ date
• The revised dates will allow at least six months between the ‘open for business’ date and the legal requirement date – when it will become a legal requirement for businesses to hold a licence
• The legal requirement date remains 6 April 2015

Commenting on this announcement, Kay Aitkin, NSI’s Service Delivery Director said “NSI recognises the need for organisations to have sufficient time to prepare for business licensing and an early announcement on the revised timetable would be welcomed.”

Kay continues “Organisations providing licensable activities will be seeking to minimise the pressure placed upon them by instigating a structured planning process and we are conscious that organisations not currently audited by an independent certification body such as NSI, will be particularly affected by the squeeze in preparation time. NSI is committed to helping these organisations prepare for this major change in regulation.”

*The Strategic Consultative Group comprises representatives from the private security industry, SIA, Home Office, Scottish Government, Department of Justice Northern Ireland, industry skills sector, Parliament and other parties interested in the private security industry.