Supply teacher agencies have condemned plans for a further increase in the cost of criminal record checks.

Julia Fraser, managing director of Recruitment Solutions Group, owner of the Teachers Workline recruitment agency, said: “This is outrageous. It is yet another increase in price with no corresponding increase in service level.”

Chris King, director of the teacher agency Timeplan, added: “This is completely unreasonable”.

Under the proposals, the cost of a standard disclosure from the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) will increase by £4 next April to £28 – a 133% rise in the cost of a standard disclosure check since June 2003. For an enhanced check against police records the rate will go up from £29 to £33.

Although the CRB was dogged with problems last spring, it now claims to be consistently meeting its performance targets.

Ministers also want ‘registered bodies’ such as hospitals and schools to do more of the initial checking of candidates and pay an annual £300 fee to fund a ‘central assurance team’ to help them meet the new requirements.