Committee wants PVG system bolstered

Urgent action is needed to strengthen the system that registers people who work with children, according to a parliamentary report.

Holyrood’s Sport Committee has warned the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) system “may not be preventing unsuitable people from doing regulated work”.

A Scottish Government review of the system is anticipated to take 12 months with new legislation potentially in place by 2019.

MSPs, however, said action was required now and argued there was a “compelling” case for the scheme to be made mandatory for all sports organisations in Scotland.

The committee’s inquiry into child protection in sport was launched in the wake of allegations of historical child sexual abuse in football.

The report raises concerns about a backlog of PVG checks waiting to be carried out.

The Scottish Football Association (SFA) had been “asleep on the job” while the Scottish Youth Football Association (SYFA) provided “misleading” evidence, it said.

Committee convener Neil Findlay said: “Our evidence highlighted variations in how the PVG scheme operates in sports across Scotland.

“Ultimately, we believe the current system of PVG checks may not be preventing unsuitable people from doing regulated work with children.”