The government announced today that all plans for registration to the new Vetting and Barring Scheme, due to commence on 26 July 2010, have been halted.

Instead, the government will “remodel” the scheme to “proportionate, common sense levels”. Teresa May describes the required changes to be “fundamental” to allow a proportionate and sensible scheme.

The review, to be co-ordinated by the Home Office in partnership with the Department of Health and the Department for Education is still being scoped. The Direct Gov website promises further announcements “later in the year”.

So the current state of play seems to be:

• CRB checks continue;
• Employers face criminal sanctions for knowingly employing a barred individual for a wide range of work;
• Employers can check the barred lists with the ISA as part of an Enhanced CRB check;
• Employers, local authorities, professional regulators and inspection bodies have a duty to refer to the ISA any information on an individual working with the vulnerable where they consider them to have caused harm or pose a risk;
•  It is a criminal offence for a barred individual to apply to work in a wide range of posts (including voluntary positions).

Although the review will be welcomed by many, it leaves in place the CRB system (with all of its challenges) and, for the entertainment industry, the child performance regulations.

Given the VBS was not due to be fully implemented until 2015, this continuing delay will cause uncertainty for an even longer period.  Will it be worth the wait?