Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of the 30 April 2018 to Question 138075, on Biometrics, how the Government plans to improve the independent oversight and the governance of police use of automated facial recognition software.

The Government will create a Board including the three relevant regulators (the Biometrics Commissioner, Surveillance Camera Commissioner and Information Commissioner) and police representatives. It will facilitate open dialogue between regulators and police forces that are considering piloting such technology.

The Board will also consider all aspects of public trust in the police’s use of this technology, bringing together ethical and privacy considerations.