Foreign workers who work airside at UK airports do not have to undergo full mandatory criminal records checks, the BBC's Newsnight has discovered.
Since 2003, staff have been checked against UK criminal records, but offences abroad are not covered.
Aviation Minister Jim Fitzpatrick has defended vetting procedures for staff. "Anybody who is able to work in a restricted zone is screened in exactly the same thorough way as any member of the public," he added.
So ... if airside staff are screened the same as Pax - how come I did not notice them running the criminal background check? This is a classic from a govt minister - he sets out to reassure and answers a question that was not asked thus confirming that it is as bad as we think! Full story:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7389219.stm