AN East Lancashire MP has welcomed the government's decision to waive the £10 charge for voluntary organisations such as the scouts to check the criminal records of volunteers working with children and vulnerable adults.

Originally Home Secretary Jack Straw was to charge everybody the fee to check the past of people in sensitive jobs.

Now, criminal record checks are carried out by the police and limited to local and central government bodies such as health and local authorities, schools and probation services who work with those under 18.

Hyndburn Labour MP Greg Pope said: "I am glad the government has consulted widely and considered very carefully what the voluntary sector has been saying."