FiL wants all our data

[HighlandCowSaysBooNotMoo]

My father in law works in a government role.
Today he put a message in the family WhatsApp group asking if we could send him our addresses, d.o.bs, mothers maiden names, our place of birth, our address history, previous maiden names etc.
Apparently he needs this info from his 4 adult children, their spouses (me included) , his own siblings and his siblings spouses, grandchildren, his in laws etc. Basically he is covering every member of the family and spouses etc over the age of 18.
He has put something light hearted about it being needed for an enhanced security check that he's been told he needs for his job.
He is not changing jobs or position in the company. He has been in this job for since my husband was a wee kid!!
A couple of people have responded straight away with their data.
DH says IABU not to share mine with his dad
What do I do?

It will just be so he can have the enhanced security status, it isn't a big deal, the government do have all that data anyway it's just easier and quicker if he collects it all at once. This is not unusual and there is no reason not to just be helpful.

send him our addresses, d.o.bs, mothers maiden names, our place of birth, our address history, previous maiden names

I had been going to say that even if it’s vetting, he’s being lazy, but actually I wouldn’t expect him to know your address history, place of birth, mother’s maiden name, or possibly even your date of birth and any previous maiden names. Why would he?

If you know he works for the government and trust that it’s legit, I’d send it but I’d be irritated by the extra bit of admin I had to do for someone else’s job, and fair enough to do it on your timescale not his. Next time you’re changing roles or have a new work project, make him write all this stuff down for you.

@Readingallnight

His workplace don't have the information on you. When you need vetting it comes directly from the Government. His workplace will have a co-ordinator but that's only to say someone needs vetting/clearance.
All the information goes into a UK security vetting site. His work will simply get informed if he gets (or not) his security clearance.

For info if you didn't give the information, then someone can put as much as they know about you, name, DOB, last known location and fill in a box with extra information, such as date married/divorced etc. and then the UK vetting team can five people and do the checks anyway. It just takes longer.

DV clearance is very necessary in some jobs in government but also in the tech sector if they are your client. Please just verify with him why, but honestly national security is more important than ever.

Agree it’s probably a bit of vetting, but I would also roll my eyes if my in-laws did this on a WhatsApp. Especially if they didn’t explain it to the point I’d have to go on mumsnet to ask about it. We’re not exactly living in the 1920s are we, if someone needs security you can just ask in a reasonable and professional way. It would really irritate me if I got a WhatsApp about this.

What exactly for you think your FIL is going to do with this top secret information about you? Whats the concern? I'm with your DH on this.

You should ask him what HE has to declare OP because they even go into drugs and sexual partners because it’s an anti blackmail move. 😂😂😂

Wouldn't his employers contact us for the information themselves if its needed?
And why the need to vet the spouses of his family

We are not in the UK but enhanced clearances work the same everywhere I imagine. My DH needed one at one point for a certain project with a government department. He had to put all this information on forms, even though realistically the government could access it all from its own records, it’s just bureaucracy in action really. Then the government interviewed everyone, including not only myself but my parents, his sibling and his siblings spouse. Everyone. Also combed through all our financials. And no, he was not in CIA/MI5 etc, it was routine BT work but just happened to support that specific project at the time.

Sounds like he's being DV'd. It's a highly intrusive, comprehensive process unfortunately.

Assuming he's not likely to steal your identity, I'd share the info, but privately rather than in the family WhatsApp.

WhatsApp is end to end encrypted. I wouldn't reply on a group WhatsApp so everyone else had my info, but I'd reply to him.

It’s just a part of security clearance. All they’ll do with family members is check criminal records. It’s really no big deal. The data just goes to the UK security and vetting people, they’ll check everyone out. His will be far more intrusive. If we don’t do this kind of thing then we’d be opening our country up to a huge amount of risk

If he does require DV, there’s a chance he may not actually be in the role he has told you he does, because he can’t. Perhaps if you knew the full truth it may not be such an odd request but because you can’t know (I believe MI6 for example is limited to one person (usually spouse) knowledge only) it seems unreasonable. Perhaps your DH is aware which is why he’s just trying to get you to provide it without causing a fuss.

This is what I would have assumed too.

No, security clearance does not work like that.

They don't @DominiqueBernard and @HighlandCowSaysBooNotMoo because he has to fill in an online form/questionnaire. We've done it in the past. Depending on the familial links, if he has certain connections he won't get the highest level of security clearance.

If he is trustworthy and you adore him as you say, why are you acting so difficult and not just give him the info?

No his employer will not directly approach you, he is the one that has to declare everything they've asked for. And others are right, this is a pretty standard security check for certain roles. My DP had one when he worked for the MoD and had to declare all kinds of details about the people in his life.

Whoever needs them if true should approach you. I'd say no meanwhile.

I’ve worked for government and this is fairly standard in some of the secure roles. What information is he asking for ?

No, his employers wouldn't contact you directly. I have been vetted in the past and the expectation is that the person being vetted collates the information and explains to the person they are subject of vetting procedures.
Vetting is something that is done again after a period of time to ensure nothing has changed.
I guess FIL could ask if someone in the vetting department does contact you to explain it better - but if he has been in this job a long time and you know its quite high level I think you WBU to completely refuse when he has asked you.

No they will just ask him and then probably use it for enhanced checks but I think it's just common courtesy to ask everyone for their details. He's probably moving onto a project and needs enhanced security or if he's in certain areas of govt they are updating data in everyone if it's very old. Im really confused why everyone thinks this is a big deal

It's for vetting and no his employers wouldn't ask you directly.

The government employee has to complete an online form with the required information, so no need for direct contact. And if it’s a matter of the employee’s access to higher security levels they will vet all manner of people they are closely involved with.

I have to go through CTC vetting which is mid level clearance and needed to provide details of spouse, parents and siblings. I have to renew it every 5 years.

Many many years ago I had to supply all that info for a friend for their enhanced security vetting, I also had to be interviewed in my home about them, their behaviour/ character and our friendship. The interview was about 2 hours long. My friend said to me “ tell the truth Stacey , but don’t make it sound worse than it was “ 🤣

I assume you're on BC or CTC clearance?

For SC you have to give a certain amount of info about your immediate family and DV rightly goes a lot wider than that. No idea what STRAP involves because people I know who've had STRAP would never in a million years disclose it!

Jobs needing DV clearance are right across the civil service - anything dealing with critical infrastructure, that might be vulnerable to terrorism, etc etc. So transport, energy, water as well as departments like the Home Office and the foreign-facing departments.