Don’t ask job hunters about their criminal convictions

FIRMS could be told to drop questions about criminal convictions on job application forms, as part of controversial plans being considered by ministers.

The Government is also looking at providing financial incentives to companies that hire convicts, such as cuts to their national insurance.

MPs have urged the Government to do more to help offenders get a job when they leave prison, rather than relying on benefits or falling back into a life of crime. But businesses are likely to be wary of the proposals.

The Commons work and pensions committee said former prisoners trying to make a new life for themselves ‘walk over a cliff edge’ when they leave prison. It said finding a home and a job was ‘absolutely central to preventing re- offending’ which costs the criminal justice system alone £15 billion a year, without including the costs of benefits, healthcare and the human costs of crime.

The Ministry of Justice said it was ‘ exploring a range of options which would recognise or reward those organisations which actively employ ex-offenders’.

It added that it was also considering whether more can be done to persuade both public and private sector firms to remove the disclosure box on application forms which people have to tick if they have a criminal conviction. But City veteran David Buik, who works for stockbroker Panmure Gordon, said many firms will be wary.

He said: ‘This is a massive ask for employers. Businesses will be very wary – particularly if you are talking about serious crimes.’ The Government has already removed the criminal conviction box on application forms from 380,000 civil service roles – or 97 per cent of the service. Some 76 employers, including Barclays, Boots, Timpson and Virgin Trains have also ditched the box.

Neil Carberry, director of people and skills at the CBI, said: ‘Many businesses are keen to give ex-offenders a path back into work and rehabilitation. Working together with the Government, firms and charities have an important role to play in prison reforms.’

The work and pensions committee said ex-prisoners were often ‘turned out literally on the street’ with a £46 resettlement payment. Often they have to wait for weeks to receive benefits including Jobseekers Allowance. The Government has already rejected the committee’s calls for it to process claims for benefits in prison, so former offenders can receive it on the day they leave jail.

Justice Secretary Liz Truss has stressed that the key purpose of prisons should be to reform and rehabilitate offenders.

She said this would be enshrined into law by the Prisons and Courts Bill, which was published last week.

Under the legislation, prison governors are to be held to account for getting offenders off drugs, into jobs and learning English and maths.

‘A massive ask for employers’