SIR - In respect of the figures published by the Security Industry Authority (SIA) in relation to licensing, there seems to have been a continual emphasis placed upon the security guarding sector when citing the issues surrounding poor licensing figures to date, and the delays incurred. However, the SIA's figures raise a number of questions here.

Prior to October 2005, and between October 2005 and May 2006, the following has occurred: As of 11 May 2006, 227,017 operatives have qualified for licensing by being trained, etc. Since 105,720 individuals have qualified since October 2005, this means 121,297 were already qualified prior to October 2005. Of those, just under 50% (62,947) applied for their licence before October 2005.

The SIA received 149,745 applications over the period, with 86,798 applications arriving at the Regulator's address between October and last month. Thus the Regulator received 62,947 applications before October 2005, but only 45,318 operatives had been licensed prior to that month. In other words, there's a shortfall of 17,629.

A further 57,619 individuals were licensed across the months between October 2005 and May 2006. Taking into consideration the previous shortfall of 17,629, that means 39,990 operatives had applied for (and received) licences in the time-span. An average of 5,712 a month.

Come Thursday 11 May 2006, 102,937 individuals had been granted a licence, with the rejection rate equating to around 5%. Nowhere near the figure of 30% estimated by the SIA at the beginning of the process.

The difference between qualified and licensed personnel is 124,080 people (in other words, under 50% of those actually qualified have been licensed). Presumably, the remaining 25% of private sector employees who will not be granted a licence are buried in the figures of those qualified but not yet licensed by the Regulator.

Surely the figures quoted for door supervisors must be of some concern? In October 2005, the number of qualified door staff stood at 64,971. By May 2006, that figure had risen to 91,981. A difference of 27,010. There were 42,385 applicants on the system in October, with 56,429 listed come last month. A difference of 14,044.

In terms of licences granted, there were 33,782 in October last year and 44,034 by this May. That represents a difference of 10,252.

Remembering that ALL door supervisors should have been licensed by 11 April last year, this statistic alone should offer us all much food for thought in the months ahead.

Steve Goodwin MBE MIISec, General Manager, Noble Security Services (UK)

Source

SMT