Government releases new Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS)

Government releases new Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS)

The Cabinet Office has released their latest version of the HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) version 2.1 - Oct 2009 in association with version 3.0 of the HMG Security Policy Framework.  The BPSS is a set of guidelines for the effective pre-employment screening of personnel.  The following changes are worthy of note:

1. Version 2.1 of the BPSS makes explicit reference to Mandatory Requirement 23 of the HMG Security Policy Framework - "Departments and Agencies must apply the requirements of BPSS to all HMG staff (including armed forces), contractors and temporary staff".
2. Removal of reference document 'Identity Fraud - The UK Manual'
3. As a pre employment screening process the BPSS is not expected to be applied retrospectively where suitable assurances are in place.

The BPSS is being used as a screening template by many organisations including Government departments, suppliers and agencies.  It is a useful resource for all organisations seeking to develop a robust pre-employment screening process and uses as it's basis the RICE principle, an acronym developed by Agenda Security Services to aid the recollection of the basic requirements:

R = Right to Work and Immigration Status Check I = Identification Check C = Criminal Record Check E = Employment Check (3 Years)

This basic RICE principle is then added to for specific roles, for example,  a credit check for those handling money or a driver's licence check for chauffeurs etc.  A full version of the BPSS can be downloaded below:

http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/45160/hmg_bpss.pdf

Agenda has developed a series of cost effective checks to ensure that the requirements of the Baseline screening are applied, if you would like any further information please e-mail: info@agenda-security.co.uk.

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