Question regarding security clearances

[Gaz]

I've been working for Atos, in IT, for 7 years. they have a new contract starting soon at my location for the department of health. They are having us undergo security clearance for this. among the stuff they are asking for is, and i'll copy this directly from the email i was sent -

• Financials (i.e. Bankruptcy, CCJs, Credit Card/Store card/Loan refusal/withdrawn).
• Parents: D.O.B, date of death if applicable, address (including date of moving in), town/county/country of birth, occupation.

Now i dont see why i should provide personal financial information, and i dont see why i should provide personal details for someone who does not work for the company, and i do not live with.

can they make me hand this over, bearing in mind i've been there 7 years and this is not a new job i have applied for? rather them trying to change my existing job?

Also, in the unlikely event i failed the security clearance (i say unlikely as there's really nothing that i would fail for) what would happen? could they sack me? for this last bit i'm more asking out of curiosity than anything.

Edit : I'm in scotland, in case that makes a difference.

[enquirer]

Re: Question regarding security clearances

This appears to be the same sort of vetting as civil servants. As you will be dealing with highly sensitive government data, this is not unreasonable. If you fail the checks, they could move you to less sensitive area. Dismissal would be unlikely unless there was no way you could be redeployed.

A better question might be ... given it's record, can you trust Atos with it?

Atos loses Government Gateway data on 12m people. Atos runs Government Gateway and has access to passport, tax, pension and other sensitive information.
Source: BBC News 'Probe into data left in car park' 02/11/2008.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7704611.stm
Source: The Independent 'Investigation into loss of confidential data on 12 million website users' 03/11/2008
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/inquiry-into-loss-of-confidential-data-on-12-million-website-users-986837.html

[wales01man]

Re: Question regarding security clearances

Have you anything that you do not want to be found in your past?
Guaranteed that the state knows just about everything about you anyway

[Gaz]

Re: Question regarding security clearances

As enquirer says, and even though i work for them, i'm not keen to hand over any info to them thats not essential. and for me, i dont believe it will be as i'll bet anything you like i wont have access to any kind of sensitive data. i work at night, out of hours. issues like "i cant log on to the PC" or "my email isn't working" i wont have access to sensitive details, and from the specs for it we have received, they expect under 20 calls per month at night, between 6 of us working. 3 on each shift.

I havent even mentioned yet the thing they were trying to have the doctors working for atos healthcare sign. the official secrets act declaration. it says, and i dont have it in front of me, though the form itself can be found online if you havent seen it, that i understand i will be prosecuted under it if i commit an offence under it. they have been told that until it's explained, to my satisfaction, exactly how that would be possible for me i wont be signing.

its not that there's anything i in my past i dont want found it, its more the principle of of it all. i very rarely use cash, everything is paid by card, either bank or credit. and they want it all. my entire life laid bare. if i was applying for a job where this was needed, fair enough, that would be my choice. but this isnt.

i'd need to say that according to the estimates given, around 1% of my job would be this new contract. probably less. and its overkill considering i wont actually have access to anything sensitive.

[teaboy2]

Re: Question regarding security clearances

Firstly its the department of health that requires the information not ATOS. So yes your best providing it.

As for ATOS trying to get doctors that work for them to sign the official secret act declaration. Well they may do so if in relation to government or crown contractors, which is what ATOS is, a government or crown contractor - However the doctors are not, nor are any other ATOS employees therefore they do not fall under the Act and can not be prosecuted under it. In fact, there is no need for ATOS to even sign up to it, as their work is not related to security and intelligence, defense or international relations - which is what the act applies too! But hey they are French after all, not that am racist, just that their understanding of English law is not exactly brilliant!

[des8]

Re: Question regarding security clearances

As a matter of interest, everybody is bound by the Official Secrets Act, whether they sign or not.
So even when as a sub postmaster I had to sign a form acknowledging I was bound by the Act I thought it was overkill.
"signing" is really meaningless, the Act is law, not a contract