More cut-and-pasting from ukcrypto, Britain's last remaining form of parliamentary oversight. This week: the government's plans to require all security consultants to register with the authorities, and be strictly licensed afore passing on their forbidden, arcane wisdom. First the bad news: the bill in question, the PRIVATE SECURITY INDUSTRY BILL, is already at its Commons' Second Reading, and is set to be law in two months (barring those pesky elections). Now, the good news: at the reading, HO minister Charles "RIP" Clarke said it's mainly aimed at security guards and bouncers, not IT security consultants. Now, the bad news: he added the word "currently" - and, "currently", the Home Office says it *does* apply to computer consultants, but they won't get around to enforcing that until 2005. Now the good news: the main restriction on the license is that you mustn't have a serious criminal record.
I've seen these snips today... In the US private security consultants have numerous licenses, variable by state. ("C & G" licenses - guns, dogs, exec protect, PIs, etc.) Aren't ya'll just getting worked up over a misnomer? Not to say it won't happen, indeed, some interests could make a powerful argument for tech security licenses, the same rationale would definitely apply. Background links: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/psib/psbinfo.htm#psbds Break it: http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200001/cmbills/067/en /01067x--.htm ~Aimee