The Bichard report’s most important recommendation has not yet been implemented, Sir Michael Bichard has warned.
The Bichard inquiry following Ian Huntley’s conviction for murdering Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman called for a national electronic police intelligence system, and new legislation to make it easier to stop people who should not work with children from doing so.
Sir Michael said the government had made much good progress in implementing his inquiry’s recommendations, including better training for teachers involved in interviewing and selecting school staff, and a confirmation that all offences against children should be reported to the police.
But he was concerned about the delay in establishing a central intelligence system, and disappointed that police were still failing to enter records on the police national computer.
He said, “We are on the verge of having in the United Kingdom a coherent set of protective measures unrivalled anywhere, but if the national intelligence system and the barring scheme (registration scheme) are not in place by 2007, we shall have fallen short. "
