Elizabeth France CBE is the new chair of the Security Industry Authority (SIA). She is the third woman in the post after the Labour peers Molly Meacher and Ruth Henig. Her term runs for three years.
The Home Office reports that Mrs France has extensive experience in the criminal justice sector. She is the non-executive chair of the Office for Legal Complaints.
Bill Matthews was the acting SIA chair for a year after Ruth Henig’s second term three-year came to an end in January 2013; he has been re-appointed as the board member with particular responsibility for representing Scottish interests.
Home Office Minister for Criminal Information Lord Taylor said: “I am very pleased to announce Elizabeth France as the chairman of the Security Industry Authority. With extensive experience within the police and security sector, Elizabeth has just what it takes to drive the Authority forward. I would also like to thank Bill Matthews for his significant contribution as interim SIA chairman over the last 12 months.”
About Elizabeth France
Mrs France is besides a member of the British Transport Police Authority, Vice President of Aberystwyth University and a member of the General Assembly of Manchester University. Until July 2009 she was Chief Ombudsman and Chief Executive of the Ombudsman Service Ltd., which provided the Telecommunications Ombudsman Service (Otelo), the Energy Ombudsman Service and the Surveyors Ombudsman Service. She was a non-executive Director of the Serious Organised Crime Agency from 2005-2010.
She began her career in the Home Office, resigning to become the Data Protection Registrar in September 1994 and becoming Information Commissioner in January 2001. She has been awarded honorary doctorates by the Universities of De Montfort, Loughborough and Bradford and is a Fellow of Aberystwyth University. In June 2002 she was awarded a CBE, for services to data protection.
About the Security Industry Authority
The organisation responsible for regulating the private security industry in the United Kingdom, it reports to the Home Secretary under the terms of the Private Security Industry Act 2001.
