Written question asked by Jacqui Lait (Conservative) on Tuesday, 22 July 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 6 October 2008. It was answered by Lord Coaker (Labour) on Tuesday, 7 October 2008 on behalf of the Home Office.

Closed Circuit Television

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance her Department has issued to local authorities on the use of CCTV to monitor members of the public.

Answer: No guidance has been issued to local authorities on the use of closed circuit television (CCTV).Use of CCTV by local authorities in public spaces must comply with the Data Protection Act 1998, which provides individuals with rights in respect of their information and sets rules about its collection and use.The Information Commissioner's Office is the independent authority which administers the Act, and has recently produced a revised edition of its CCTV code of practice. This provides guidance on how to deploy CCTV while respecting the rights of individuals. Because of the wider privacy concerns raised by CCTV, the code advises organisations to consider the impact on individual privacy beforehand, what benefits can be gained, and whether better solutions exist.The Home Office published the National CCTV Strategy last year, and a National CCTV Strategy Programme Board has been established. The programme board is reviewing the recommendations of the strategy and Ministers will have the opportunity to approve the work of the board later this year.

Secondary information