SIA publishes update to Manchester Arena Inquiry

The Security Industry Authority (SIA) has published an update on two recommendations that were made in Volume 1 of the Manchester Arena Inquiry.

Manchester Arena Inquiry Volume 1: Security for the Arena was published in June 2021 and made two monitored recommendations that were addressed to both the SIA and the Home Office.

The recommendations were: MR7 - The requirement that only those monitoring CCTV under a contract for services need to hold an SIA licence should be reviewed and MR8 - Consideration should be given to whether contractors who carried out security services should be required to be licensed.

The SIA submitted an update to the Inquiry on these recommendations in January.

Michelle Russell, chief executive of the SIA reported that the SIA submitted formal detailed proposals in relation to acceptance and implementation of both recommendations to the Home Office who will decide on whether to accept the proposals.

The SIA believes that the proposals will improve public protection and public safety; have support of private security operatives and businesses and will not result in disproportionate regulatory burden.

The SIA also believes that individual SIA licensing for in-house security should be extended to both operators of CCTV/public surveillance and in-house security guards and that the licensing of private security contractors and labour providers should be introduced.

Russel said: "We believe it is important that the SIA leads, acts and uses all the tools available to it to ensure public protection. The SIA cannot rely on, or wait for, statutory changes to the licensing regime or new power to further protect the public. We have already made significant changes to our approach since the attack at the Manchester Arena."

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