Police: Technology
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department assesses the (a) ethical and (b) human‑rights context in which surveillance technologies developed by overseas companies were (i) developed and (ii) deployed before procuring such technologies.
Answered by Sarah Jones
On 4 December last year, the Government launched a public consultation on when and how biometrics, facial recognition and similar technologies should be used, and what safeguards and oversight are needed. The consultation has now closed and a formal Government response will be published in due course, setting out the findings and next steps, including legislative measures.
The Police Reform Bill will introduce a new legal framework to underpin law enforcement use of these technologies, including the creation of a single expert body to provide independent advice and oversight.
Oversight of police use of facial recognition is currently provided by a number of bodies responsible for ensuring compliance with the law and safeguarding people’s rights. These include the Information Commissioner’s Office (data protection) and the Equality and Human Rights Commission (equalities and human rights), alongside His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, and the Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner.
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