Section 56: Sharing of Level 2 disclosure information by accredited bodies
115.Section 56 applies to accredited bodies, and allows them to countersign a Level 2 disclosure application under section 11 on their own behalf, or on behalf of other persons. When they are acting on behalf of others, this is often referred to by Disclosure Scotland as an ‘umbrella body’ service.
116.The persons on whose behalf an accredited body can act must either be someone who would be eligible in terms of section 47(3) to become an accredited body (but who is not registered as an accredited body), or an individual who employs other persons but not in the course of a business. The ability to act on behalf of another person is subject to the condition that the person is asking a question about the individual who is the subject of the disclosure for the purpose of the disclosure, which may, for example, be in connection with recruitment into paid or voluntary work.
117.In cases where the accredited body acts on behalf of a person of the type eligible to become an accredited body (i.e. bodies corporate or unincorporated, statutory office-holders or sole business proprietors), the accredited body may share the Level 2 disclosure with that other person if it is satisfied that disclosure to the person would comply with the code of practice (see subsection (3)).
118.In cases where the accredited body acts for an individual seeking to employ or engage the services of another individual in a personal capacity, the accredited body cannot share the Level 2 disclosure or disclose its content. The accredited body can, however, provide advice to the individual in relation to how any information in the disclosure might affect the decision for which the Level 2 disclosure was requested (see subsection (4)). This means that an accredited body could provide suitability advice to individuals who are in the process of recruiting or using a self-employed worker, such as a music tutor, nanny or carer. Ministers may, by regulations subject to the negative procedure, set a maximum fee that an accredited body may charge an individual for acting on their behalf in this way (see subsection (5)).
