Licensing is an SIA main priority

The SIA is proceeding with the option of licensing individual private investigation and precognition agents, with competency criteria, which will include specified training. This option was favoured by a sizeable majority of those giving their views during consultation.

Consultation in 2007 showed strong agreement that there is a need to introduce licensing of private investigations and precognition agents.

An interim Impact Assessment was published on the SIA website on 1 September 2008 - this contains further information about the preferred option.

We acknowledge that it is taking longer than anticipated to introduce licensing for private investigations and precognition agents. However, Ministers have now agreed that the licensing of private investigators should be one of the SIA's main priorities.

The potential enforcement date for regulation is 2011 /12. This is because although recommendation to introduce licensing was accepted by the Minister, it is important to undertake further steps to ensure that the regulation would meet essential criteria before it was introduced.

These steps include discussions with all government departments, other regulators and stakeholder representatives, to ensure that no-one would be 'doubly regulated' by competency-based licensing.

We also have to ensure that individuals and companies are fully aware of the proposals, that the processes and systems are in place and that everyone has enough time to prepare and be ready for regulation.

Issued by the Security Industry Authority to the Association of British Investigators.

Posted 20 July 2009