FIRMS are being urged to stop asking for criminal record details on job application forms.

Jobseekers are put off applying for work if they have to declare any convictions upfront, according to a study for Virgin Trains and charity Business in the Community.

They called on companies to find more supportive ways to discuss potential recruits’ criminal backgrounds.

Dr Beth Weaver, Strathclyde University lecturer, said: “Asking people to disclose their convictions legitimises employer discrimination, as most employers don’t know how to make sense of the information provided.”

The research was conducted by the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice, a partnership of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Stirling universities.