"MPs will not need to confess criminal past to employers"

From The Evening Standard:

Thousands of former offenders in the capital, including MPs, council leaders, senior quango members and civil servants, will no longer have to declare their past activities in a move intended to boost their job prospects in the private sector, ministers said today.

Under reforms that come into force next month, MPs who lose their seat will have to include their criminal history on application forms for only two years, instead of seven as at present.

More serious offenders - junior minister or Private Secretary level and higher - will also see a dramatic cut in the length of time they are required to declare their criminal past.

It means hundreds of former MPs who would previously have had to reveal their background when seeking work will be able to apply with a clean record instead.

Critics are likely to argue it could prevent employers from gaining an accurate picture of prospective staff. But justice minister Simon Hughes said the change would be a vital support for people who want to turn their back on politics and rebuild their lives.