After informal consultation on whether a single generic SIA licence should be introduced, the SIA says it will not be developing a non sector-specific licence.
Overall, the regulator reports, feedback from the industry showed that while there was some interest in a more integrated approach, the option for a single generic licence card did not receive widespread support.
To recap: SIA licence cards are specific to each sector. Operatives working in more than one sector may need multiple licences; a bone of contention for some (as costing time and money).
The two options set out in the consultation were:
•to introduce a single generic licence card covering all of the licensable activities that the holder is qualified to undertake; or
•to continue to issue sector-specific and multiple licences.
SIA Director of Strategy and Corporate Services, Hazel Russell said: “I would like to thank respondents for their contributions to this informal consultation. The responses did not provide clear support for the development of a non-sector specific licence, so at present we will not be making changes to the licences that we issue. However, we will now reconsider how we have defined the ‘manned guarding’ sectors and we will take account of the consultation responses in identifying opportunities for limiting the requirement for multiple licences and for reducing administrative burdens. This, combined with our ongoing customer service improvements will help to ensure that any future changes will continue to be stakeholder-led.”
Details about the informal consultation:
http://www.sia.homeoffice.gov.uk/pages/licensing-consultation.aspx
