Lords rejects fees for checks on volunteers

The Government was defeated by two votes in the Lords last night over a plan to make charities pay to find out whether volunteers had criminal convictions.

Under the Bill, volunteers would have to get certificates showing they had clean records before they could work in certain areas, particularly with children. The Government says the documents would cost between pounds 5 and pounds 10 each.

The defeat, on an amendment proposed by the former House of Commons Speaker, Lord Weatherill, was the first in Parliament this session. Last night a spokesman for the Home Secretary, Michael Howard, said ministers would consider its implications before deciding whether to try to reverse it in the Commons.

Baroness Blatch, Home Office minister, had argued that the Treasury or those seeking paid jobs could have to pay between pounds 40m and pounds 200m to fund the certificates if charities did not do so. Waiving fees for unpaid volunteers would be open to abuse, she said.

The Bill, which has cross-party support, enables a new Criminal Records Agency to supply information to individuals and registered bodies. It also sets up a National Crime Squad for England and Wales, puts the National Criminal Intelligence Service on a UK-wide statutory footing and puts intrusive surveillance by police and Customs on a statutory basis.

Lord Weatherill said the Bill could have a devastating effect on an estimated 20 million voluntary workers, many of whom worked for small local charities, playgroups and church groups.