Days before the UK goes to the vote, the BSIA has launched its manifesto setting out the British Security Industry Association’s key ‘asks’ of the next government and how the trade body will look to build upon its influence to achieve these goals.
The Worcester-based trade body says that it’s the most difficult election to predict in over four decades with the future of security industry regulation continuing to hang in the balance; so now is the time the BSIA says for it to firmly put its stake into the ground and ensure the next government is aware of the issues facing the industry.
BSIA Chief Executive James Kelly said: “With a new government comes a whole new set of political contacts for the association. As such, educating new MPs on the value of the private security industry is a crucial first step to take in forging new relationships.”
The BSIA points to an active political engagement which has the seen the association host a number of cross-party Parliamentary roundtable meetings as well as attending the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat party conferences.
James Kelly added: “The industry is worth an equivalent of around 0.5% of the UK’S GDP and employs more than 365,000 people across more than a third of Parliamentary constituencies. The industry is key to the success of reforms across the public sector and private security contracts are already delivering significant cost and efficiency savings to police forces across the country, enabling better allocation of resources and more expenditure on vital frontline areas including beat policing and custody services.”
Outlined in the manifesto are five key ‘asks’ from the next government all of which are aimed at improving efficiency within the industry, raise standards and recognise the value that the industry contributes. The five are:
Commitment to lighter-touch regulation, with a transition to business licensing
Continue to minimise ticketing on cash-in-transit to reduce the risk of ticketing
Recognise the value of police and private partnerships
Increase export funding to ensure the UK remains a global leader; and
Expand the Surveillance Camera Commissioner’s Code of Practise to include privately-owned systems.
To view the manifesto click on the BSIA website.
