Retail employees suspected of theft, fraud or damage could soon find their details listed on a national register, available to every retail company in the UK.

The scheme, which is expected to launch by the end of the month, will give businesses the ability to check on the background and honesty of potential employees. Its organisers, Hicom, say that it will help to stop staff theft and fraud, which costs the retail industry £497 million on average each year.

However, its critics say that innocent people who are falsely accused and have not been convicted of any crime, could find it impossible to find another job.

The database will allow retailers to search for an individual by surname, forename, date of birth, NI number, address and previous employer. It will even include photographs of individuals.

Souce: The Appointment