Police checks should be carried out on all staff, volunteers and clergy in an effort to stamp out paedophile activity in the Roman Catholic Church, a British report recommends today.
The report was released by a review group set up by the Catholic Church there.
All applicants for work in the church should be asked to disclose any details of criminal offences against children and young people, says the report.
A national database of information on all candidates for the ordained ministry should also be set up, the report headed by the former Law Lord Lord Nolan, recommends.
The report recommends that cautioned or convicted child abusers should not hold any position that could put children at risk and that clergy should be dismissed in the most serious cases.
The Church should also set up a national child protection unit to provide support and advice and information at a national level.
Every Catholic parish should have a designated child protection representative with the Church adopting Home Office procedures for preventing child abuse.
The report also recommends that bishops and religious superiors do not overrule selection boards where reservations are expressed about a candidates suitability for ordination on the grounds of a possible risk to children and young people.
"Our hope is that this report will help to bring about a culture of vigilance where every single adult member of the Church consciously and pro-actively takes responsibility for creating a safe environment for children and young people," the report notes.
"Our recommendations are not a substitute for this but we hope they will be an impetus towards such an achievement." Its findings follow a string of damaging revelations involving paedophile priests in Britain.
Between 1995 and 1999 21 of the 5,600 Catholic priests in England and Wales were convicted of offences against children.
The Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor said the independent report was "extremely constructive and helpful" and would form a major item for discussion by all the bishops of England and Wales at their meeting next week.
PA