UK Act of Parliament 1997 United Kingdom

Police Act 1997

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At a glance

Enforced by

DBS, Home Office

What's here

20 compliance obligations, 6 practical guides across 2 topics · 5 journeys · 1 statutory instrument

Penalty landscape

2 of 20 obligations carry imprisonment (6 months). 2 carry different penalties and 16 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.

Who this Act binds

Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.

  • Any Person 4
  • Employer 1
  • Employee 1

Plus 14 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.

Step-by-step journeys using this legislation

Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.

Relevant guidance

Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.

Direct — cites this Act

1 guides

Mentioned in related content

5 guides

Other Acts binding the same actors

For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.

Any Person also bound by 749 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Employers also bound by 171 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Employees also bound by 53 other Acts (top 5 shown)

What this Act requires

Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.

Part I — The National Criminal Intelligence Service

Browse 55 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.009

Removal of certain members appointed under section 9

s.016

Budget statement

s.017

Provision supplemental to section 17

s.018

Financing by the Scottish Ministers

s.021

Accounts

s.028

Codes of practice for Director General of NCIS

s.031

Power to give directions as to action plans

s.031

Procedure for giving directions by the Secretary of State

s.031

Procedure for giving directions by the Scottish Ministers

s.034

Regulations for NCIS

Part II — The National Crime Squad

Browse 53 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.055

Removal of certain members appointed under section 55

s.061

Budget statement

s.062

Provision supplemental to section 62

s.066

Accounts

s.073

Codes of practice for Director General of NCS

s.076

Power to give directions as to action plans

s.076

Procedure for giving directions under sections 75 and 76A

s.079

Regulations for NCS

s.080

Regulation of procedures and practices

Part III — Authorisation of Action in Respect of Property

Browse 10 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part IV — Police Information Technology Organisation

Part V — Certificates of Criminal Records, &c.

s.113

Suitability information relating to children

Amended 64 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Regulator must include suitability info on enhanced certificates Statutory regulator
s.113

Suitability information relating to vulnerable adults

Amended 64 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • DBS must include adult suitability information on enhanced certificates Statutory regulator
s.113

Suitability information: power to amend

Amended 64 times
s.113

Criminal record certificates: suitability relating to children

Amended 64 times
s.113

Suitability information relating to children

Amended 64 times
s.113

Suitability information relating to protected adults

Amended 64 times
s.113

Suitability information: supplementary

Amended 64 times
s.113

Criminal record certificates: suitability relating to adults

Amended 64 times
s.113

Criminal record certificates: specified children's and adults' lists: urgent cases

Amended 64 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • DBS must provide urgent preliminary criminal record checks upon request Statutory regulator
s.113

Criminal record certificates: supplementary

Amended 64 times
s.116

Up-dating certificates

Amended 22 times
s.116

Copies of criminal record certificate or enhanced criminal record certificate

Amended 22 times
s.116

Application for an order for a new criminal record certificate or enhanced criminal record certificate

Amended 22 times
s.117

Other disputes about section 113B(4) information

Amended 24 times
s.117

Review of criminal record certificates

Amended 24 times
s.119

Further sources of information: Scotland

Amended 56 times
s.119

Independent monitor

Amended 56 times
s.120

Refusal, cancellation or suspension of registration on other grounds

Amended 36 times
s.120

Procedure for cancellation or suspension under section 120AA

Amended 36 times
s.120

Registered persons: information on progress of an application

Amended 36 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • DBS must provide progress updates on certificate applications Statutory regulator
s.120

Registered persons: copies of certificates in certain circumstances

Amended 36 times
s.120

Regulations about registration

Amended 36 times
s.120

Regulations about registration

Amended 36 times
s.122

Code of practice.

Amended 23 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • DBS may suspend or cancel registration for Code of Practice breaches Statutory regulator
s.122

Delegation of functions of Secretary of State

Amended 23 times
s.122

Delegation of functions of Scottish Ministers

Amended 23 times
s.124

Further offences: disclosure of information obtained in connection with delegated function

51 weeks imprisonment Amended 18 times
  • Unauthorised disclosure of information obtained in delegated function Any Person
s.124

Scottish annotated list of certificated persons

Amended 18 times
s.125

Form of applications

Amended 11 times
s.125

Form of applications

Amended 11 times
s.126

Part 5: Modifications for Northern Ireland

Amended 17 times
s.126

Protected convictions

Amended 17 times
s.126

Offences in schedules 8A and 8B

Amended 17 times
  • Breach an offence listed in schedules 8A or 8B Any Person

Part VI — Miscellaneous

Browse 6 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part VII — General

Browse 4 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.133

Meaning of “prevention” and “detection”.

Schedules

s.sch008a

Offences which must be disclosed unless a sheriff orders otherwise

Unlimited fine
  • Employing individuals with certain undisclosed criminal convictions Employer
Browse 13 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
s.sch002a

Further provisions about Service Authorities

s.sch008an

REVIEW OF CRIMINAL RECORD CERTIFICATES

s.sch008b

OFFENCES WHICH ARE TO BE DISCLOSED SUBJECT TO RULES

Other sections — not classified into a Part

These sections exist in the Act but the contents-of-Parts walker did not place them under a Part. Likely amendments or sections inserted out of the original Part structure.

s.113

Criminal record certificates

Amended 64 times
s.113

Enhanced criminal record certificates

Amended 64 times
s.120

Refusal and cancellation of registration on grounds related to disclosure

Amended 36 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • DBS may refuse or cancel registration based on data security suitability Statutory regulator
Read the full Act on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)

Official guidance

Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.

Enforcement and responsible bodies

The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.

DBS

Primary

Disclosure and Barring Service

Provides criminal record checks (Basic, Standard, and Enhanced) for employers and organisations. Maintains the children's and adults' barred lists. Employers in regulated …

Home Office

Government department responsible for immigration, security, and law and order. Administers UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), issues sponsor licences for employers hiring …

Connected legislation

1 statutory instrument

These instruments amend, apply, or refer to this Act. They may not all create direct business obligations.

Explore more

Browse legislation

Find other UK business legislation with related guidance.

Regulators

Learn more about the bodies that enforce this legislation.