The Government is said to have postponed the launch of the Criminal Records Bureau from July until the autumn.

The delay is to allow time for an inspection of the police criminal records system and a six-week pilot of the bureau's operation, said a report in Community Care magazine.

In April, a Government select committee published a report that criticised plans for a centralised criminal records system to allow local authorities and voluntary organisations to make checks on those working with children, revealing error rates of up to 65 per cent in records held on the police national computer.

Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary is now reviewing ways of improving the accuracy and efficiency of the police national computer and will report in August.