Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it is her policy that police forces in England use facial recognition technology during protests.

The police have a responsibility to monitor a protest if serious disorder is expected and to keep the public safe.

Facial recognition must be used in a way that complies with the legal framework which includes human rights, equality and data protection laws, national guidance, a code of practice and forces’ own published policies. This means that all deployments must be for a policing purpose and be necessary, proportionate, and fair.