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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Private detectives to need licence | Private detectives to need licence |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Operating as an unlicensed private detective is to be made illegal, Home Secretary Theresa May has announced. | Operating as an unlicensed private detective is to be made illegal, Home Secretary Theresa May has announced. |
| The Home Office said it wanted to "ensure rigorous standards" in an industry where "rogue investigators" had been infringing privacy. | |
| Ministers say the new laws will be rolled out from autumn 2014. | |
| MPs earlier revealed that police know of law firms, insurance companies and celebrities who have used investigators to obtain information illegally. | MPs earlier revealed that police know of law firms, insurance companies and celebrities who have used investigators to obtain information illegally. |
| Anyone can currently set themselves up as a private investigator, regardless of their skills or even criminal convictions. | |
| But under the Home Office's plans, investigators will be licensed by the Security Industry Authority after completing a training course and passing a criminality check. | |
| The new regulations do not extend to investigations carried out in relation to publishing legitimate journalism. | |
| Maximum penalty | |
| Mrs May said: "It is vital we have proper regulation of private investigators to ensure rigorous standards in this sector and the respect of individuals' rights to privacy. | |
| "That is why I am announcing today the government's intention to regulate this industry, making it a criminal offence to operate as a private investigator without a licence. | |
| "Anyone with a criminal conviction for data protection offences can expect to have their application for a licence refused." | |
| Firms could be barred from being licensed if they have been involved in offences including: | |
| The Home Office said that all contractors would need to be licensed and the maximum penalty for failing to comply with the new rules would be six months in jail. | |
| Pressure has been mounting on the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) to release the names of hundreds of companies and individuals linked to rogue private investigators who were convicted of obtaining information illegally. | |
| The Home Affairs Select Committee has published a breakdown by business sector of 94 clients of the jailed investigators, but has not named them individually. | |
| The 94 clients include 22 law firms, financial services and insurance firms and two celebrities. |