Part VCertificates of Criminal Records, &c.

113Criminal record certificates

(1)

The Secretary of State shall issue a criminal record certificate to any individual who—

(a)

makes an application under this section in the prescribed form countersigned by a registered person, and

(b)

pays any fee that is payable in relation to the application under regulations made by the Secretary of State.

(2)

An application under this section must be accompanied by a statement by the registered person that the certificate is required for the purposes of an exempted question.

(3)

A criminal record certificate is a certificate which—

(a)

gives the prescribed details of every relevant matter relating to the applicant which is recorded in central records, or

(b)

states that there is no such matter.

(4)

The Secretary of State shall send a copy of a criminal record certificate to the registered person who countersigned the application.

(5)

In this section—

“central records” means such records of convictions and cautions held for the use of police forces generally as may be prescribed;

“exempted question” means a question in relation to which section 4(2)(a) or (b) of the M1Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (effect of rehabilitation) has been excluded by an order of the Secretary of State under section 4(4);

“relevant matter” means—

  1. (i)

    a conviction within the meaning of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, including a spent conviction, and

  2. (ii)

    a caution.