SC Help - Have Read Sticky - Letter sent to DVA

[gingerjedi]

My last employer was the MOD in effect - they are classed as a trading organisation, but the SC was MOD SC and the employer was a trading fund of the MOD.

I'm sorry but if your SC was actually held by the MoD they wouldn't have just one point of contact surely? It sounds as though the company you worked for may have inadvertently let your clearance laps but they wouldn't want to admit that!

The role you talk of wasn't in Cardiff by any chance?

[malvolio]

I get the fact it goes with the role and not the person, but if my previous employer is potentially obstructing me from getting work as they do not confirm SC status quickly enough for me to get contracts, is really the issue I am raising. That is the only reason I asked if it could be transferred to another organisation?

OK, I get that, but no job means no clearance requirement, so how do you intend transferring your clearance to someone else? That's the point.

It's nothing to do with your previous employers anyway. You need to challenge your new client on why they won't allow you to start work, since you have held SC for a long time and are therefore present a quanitifiably low risk,. There is zero reason why you can't start under BPSS while they process your SC. And if you want proof of the actual rules, start from http://www.pcg.org.uk/cms/index.php?...56&Itemid=1104

[SimonMac]

It is entirely possible that the old employer is refusing to let it go, I know some police forces won't transfer in SC or allow it to be transfered out.

Police vetting is not the same as SC through the DVA, police forces do their own vetting IIRC through Warwickshire Constabulary.

[littlejim]

I'm sorry but if your SC was actually held by the MoD they wouldn't have just one point of contact surely? It sounds as though the company you worked for may have inadvertently let your clearance laps but they wouldn't want to admit that!

The role you talk of wasn't in Cardiff by any chance?

The role was in Cardiff yes, which involces clearance being transferred from the UKHO to WAG. The UKHO is a trading fund of the MOD and there very much is a single point of failure as they only have one lady (I believe her job title is PsYA - that may be wrong it's along those lines tho).

[littlejim]

OK, I get that, but no job means no clearance requirement, so how do you intend transferring your clearance to someone else? That's the point.

It's nothing to do with your previous employers anyway. You need to challenge your new client on why they won't allow you to start work, since you have held SC for a long time and are therefore present a quanitifiably low risk,. There is zero reason why you can't start under BPSS while they process your SC. And if you want proof of the actual rules, start from Security Clearances | PCG

I understand exactly what you mean. I asked the question kinda out of desperation - admitedtly without thinking the whole thing through.

I am now confused over the rules regarding roles stating that SC is required. Technically what has happened to me is Discrimination, however, other websites I have found have said the Cabinet Office have confirmed that although this is against Best Practice, employees can still demand SC and not the willingness to obtain it. It appears to be the one area left where discrimination can still occur.

I do fully appreciate the difference between discrimination and ascertaining if someone is trust-worthy with national secrets. However, if a person has had SC very recently (or it is still current), nothing has changed in that persons circumstances to stop SC being renewed (no defaults, no deviancy, no convictions). Then to me, it seems to be a valid point to raise.

[malvolio]

Police vetting is not the same as SC through the DVA, police forces do their own vetting IIRC through Warwickshire Constabulary.

They each do their own, Warwick act as a central repository of cleared people. Also, bizarrely, Police SC is deeper than MOD SC, since they go further into your financials.

However, new systems at DVA and the Home Office and a single centralised database for all cleared personnel means the world has changed in the last week or two. Wonder if anyone will notice...

[SimonMac]

They each do their own, Warwick act as a central repository of cleared people. Also, bizarrely, Police SC is deeper than MOD SC, since they go further into your financials.

However, new systems at DVA and the Home Office and a single centralised database for all cleared personnel means the world has changed in the last week or two. Wonder if anyone will notice...

If thats true it would be a real step forward but I doubt it will happen there is just too much policies involved. I had the full blown vetting from my time at the police (full financial disclosure & interview of friends and relatives, I suppose you would say its there version of DV) but when I moved to the MOD I had to start all over again!

[gingerjedi]

The role was in Cardiff yes, which involces clearance being transferred from the UKHO to WAG. The UKHO is a trading fund of the MOD and there very much is a single point of failure as they only have one lady (I believe her job title is PsYA - that may be wrong it's along those lines tho).

So whats the UKHO like? I was considering applying for a permy role there, money not great but it is a civil service post which has it's own benefits.

[littlejim]

So whats the UKHO like? I was considering applying for a permy role there, money not great but it is a civil service post which has it's own benefits.

Hard to answer that question as fully as I would like to, probably safer to just say the following.

I really loved my time there and they were a fantastic organisation to work for. However, due to the economic climate I cannot possibly comment on how secure it might be long term. Hope you catch my drift here...

Also, Civil Service pensions have changed considerably. Flexi time was great though

[SuperZ]

Choosing now to specialise in SC work might not have been your best decision.

As part of the SC tranfer you probably had to do a BPSS check. Could you have failed that in some way? A transfer can take a number of weeks incl the BPSS check and I doubt you woud lose the contract because it took too long, would more likely be a reason associated it (ie, you been naughty naughty person or something ).

It might be that the company offered the job to two people and first one to have SC transfered wins? Or agency decided to cause an issue as the no.2 choice also on their books and provded a larger profit margin ? Agency can really do what they want as your contract is with them and until it's signed and sealed.......

Please post back when you contact the security controller at the old place and find out more information. I doubt they would have intentionally caused any issue as that would be VERY naughty (ethics, integrity etc). I would like to know what caused the outcome, if private PM me.

As a general comment on the SC rules/guidelines. Things I beleive have changed a fair bit over the past few years. Also noticed a private client working on public sector projects was very aware of the rules recently and indeed interviewed and offered contracts to non-SC cleared contractors and in fact also let them start under BPSS while the SC continued. Actually probably doing a better job with regard to following the guidelines than some of the pubby sector orgs!
One thing I will say though, in some cases if a load of CV's land on a desk and a lot already have clearance, the individual manager can still decide to bin the non-cleared CV's if they can find what they want already SC cleared. I think that's fair enough. So those with more niche skills are more likely to be put through the SC process