This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'Barring decisions made by the ISA'.




Ms J Appleton 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx 
 
15 October 2010 
 
Dear Ms Appleton, 
 
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST NO. ISA/IG/FOI/197/2010 
 
I write in connection with your request for information which was received by 
the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) on 17 September 2010.  The ISA 
is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000; however your request 
has been considered in the spirit of the legislation. 
 
1.  Of the 10,840 automatic bars, how many of these relate to the transfer of 
old disqualification orders to the new barred list? And how many relate to 
new offences (after 20 January 2009)? 

 
Not all of this level of information is held in a readily accessible format and 
would require the manual inspection of records.  We have estimated the 
cost of meeting your request for this question would exceed the limit of 
£450 specified in the Freedom of Information and Data Protection 
(Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004.  Your request is therefore 
refused in accordance with Section 12(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 
2000.   
 
2.  Of the 10,840 automatic bars, how many were for cautions and how many 
for convictions? 
 
Autobar cases can change status on a daily basis due to individuals being 
removed from or placed on the barred list or lists. Therefore the 10,840 
cases given in a previous Freedom of Information request, and to which you 
refer, are no longer identifiable. 
 
As you know Autobar cases occur where a person has been cautioned or 
convicted for a ‘relevant’  offence. In these cases the person is 


‘automatically’ barred (by law) from working with children or vulnerable 
adults. For some ‘auto-bar’ offences a person has the right to make 
representations to the ISA as to why they should be removed from the 
barred list(s) and the ISA has the power to remove them. 
 
At present we are able to identify 10,633 people who remained autobarred 
in the period 20 January 2009 and the end of June 2010.  Of these 2,879 
people have an Autobar for cautions and 7,390 for convictions.  In addition 
there are 364 cases which have been referred to the ISA’s Autobar team 
and are in the process of being classified. 
3.  Of the 10,840 automatic bars, how many were bars with no appeal, and 
how many were bars with representation? 
 
Of the 10,633 people barred at the end of June 2010; 
 
9858 were automatically barred with the right to make representations 
(on their primary case -. the offence which resulted in them being 
autobarred by the ISA) and  
775 were automatically barred without the right to make representations 
(on their primary case).   
4.  Since 20 January 2009, in bars with representation cases, how long on 
average is the period between the decision to provisionally bar and the final 
decision? 

 
Under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act (SVGA) there is no 
‘provisional bar’.  The ISA is required by statute to bar anyone who has 
been cautioned/convicted of a ‘relevant offence’.  Where a person is barred 
with the right to make representations they remain barred unless, following 
receipt of successful representations, the bar is removed. The person has a 
period of 8 weeks in which to submit representations and may request an 
extension of that period.  The ISA wil  grant an extension where there are 
reasonable grounds to do so, for example where there are delays in 
delivery of mail due to the person serving a custodial sentence. 
 
In those automatic barring cases where the SVGA allows for 
representations to be made (to remove the bar), the average period 
between the bar being enacted and confirmed/removed is 64 working days. 
This includes the period of up to 40 working days for representations to be 
made and any cases where extensions of this period has been granted.   
 
We hope you find this response helpful.  However, if you are dissatisfied with 
the handling of your request for information you can lodge a complaint with the 
Independent Safeguarding Authority to have it reviewed.  The Independent 
Safeguarding Authority must be notified of your intention to complain within two 
months of the date of this response to your request. 
 


Complaints should be made in writing and addressed to: 
 
Performance Manager 
Independent Safeguarding Authority 
PO BOX 181 
Darlington 
DL1 9FA 
 
In all possible circumstances the Independent Safeguarding Authority will aim 
to respond to your complaint as soon as practicable and in any case within two 
months. 
 
Yours sincerely, 
 
Information Governance Officer