Current status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 6 November 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what the average processing time for Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) certificate applications has been, and how many have been delayed due to staff shortages, in each of the last six months.
I have asked Gerard Hart, Chief Executive of Disclosure Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:
Time period PVG application was completed in | Average processing time (days) |
April 2025 | 10.5 |
May 2025 | 11.7 |
June 2025 | 12.5 |
July 2025 | 16.1 |
August 2025 | 11.8 |
September 2025 | 7.6 |
Disclosure Scotland do not hold information on applications delayed due to staff shortages. This year, due to increased demand, we identified additional staffing requirements within our Operations department that was filled by temporary staff.
Note 1: Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) applications represents: Level 2 PVG scheme disclosure (Join), Level 2 PVG scheme disclosure (Existing), Confirmation of PVG scheme membership (Join) and Confirmation of PVG scheme membership (Existing).
Note 2: Figures relate to PVG applications completed between 1 April and 30 September 2025 inclusive. The analysis reflects the month in which applications are completed and not the month in which they are received. Not all results will be issued in the same month in which the application is received.
Note 3: The processing time for a completed application incorporates all time between an application being received by Disclosure Scotland, through to completion with a disclosure issued to the applicant. Disclosure Scotland deducts any time which the application was suspended on our system, such as being suspended for customer contact. Weekend days are included in the number of processing days for applications, but national holidays and Scottish Government public and privilege holidays are excluded.