2.4 The White Paper, On the Record13 published in 1996, set policy objectives for the Criminal Records Bureau. Part V of the Police Act 1997 enabled a person to request the Secretary of State to disclose criminal records, and placed the Secretary of State under a duty to comply when applicants made a request in the prescribed form, and paid the prescribed fee. In December 1998, the Home Secretary announced that the Bureau's main objective was to strengthen safeguards for the protection of children, and that priority would be given to issuing certificates for those seeking positions which involve regularly caring for, training, supervising or being in sole charge of persons aged under 18. These arrangements would be extended to protect vulnerable adults after further consideration and consultation.
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13 Command Number 3308.