Speeches by Munt.

“What do you think? Where might the Government go with this if they were being open and helpful and stuff?”

“I invite you to write to the Chair. That would be good. I might do the same. Have you anything you want to add?”

“Thank you. Having employed people in the past who had both spent and unspent convictions, I understand that it is so important that we bring people back into society. You have mentioned already the national insurance break. I wondered what other support the Government provides to employers to promote hiring people who …”

“Thank you. Quickly, may I ask you of your experiences as employers of people who are ex-offenders? What would you say?”

“Good. Is that turning into something material?”

“Thank you very much indeed.”

“I am the Member of Parliament for Wells and Mendip Hills in Somerset. Everything is on the register, but I will point out that I am a director and vice chair of WhistleblowersUK and I am also the vice-chair of the all-party parliamentary group on penal affairs.”

“As a last observation, it was quite interesting when members of the Committee visited HMP Bronzefield, where prison staff were bringing local employers into the prison to speak with prisoners with the aim of reducing that stigma of hiring ex-offenders. Probably the more that happens, it sounds as though that would be a…”

“Are there other aspects like perhaps travel?”

“I am sorry. I get going on this. I love this subject.”

“We have picked up that employment piece, and the education piece is important. I wonder if you could talk about the impact of having a criminal record and the disclosure of that. How might that impact on somebody’s rehabilitation opportunities?”

“I have two questions I want to ask you. You had done some polling about the potential reforms you were looking for to the criminal records checks. Who did your polling for you and what were the headlines of your research?”

“Yes. For my other question, I am aware that you have had endorsement from Sir Brian Leveson. I am also aware that the Lord Chancellor said the Government would take up opportunities to simplify criminal records. Has that conversation gone anywhere? How much time have you spent talking to the Lord Chancellor about this?”

“Quickly, do you sense a difference between younger offenders and those who are perhaps older in their chances of going into employment? I wondered.”

“Can people check their own record?”

“Reforms were made to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 by the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012. What were those reforms, and what impacts did they have for those with criminal records?”

“Thank you, that was helpful. You said it was complicated about how long certain types of criminal record are held and revealed on different sorts of checks. Is there a document somewhere? Is it possible for you to write to the Chair?”

“Thank you. I have a particular interest because I have a piece of casework, and I might have to speak to you later. How common are errors or outdated information on DBS certificates?”

“Is it easy to correct something that is incorrect?”

“You were present in the cheap seats for the previous panel?”