Lords to investigate surveillance society

Published on 18 May 2007

The House of Lords will investigate the constitutional implications of the widespread use of CCTV, surveillance and data collection in Britain, reports OUT-LAW.com

The Lords Constitution Committee's anounced that the inquiry:

"...which is set against a backdrop of increased use of CCTV, the creation of the national DNA database, the new NHS Spine, and the proposals for ID cards, will seek to find out if increased surveillance and data collection by the state have fundamentally altered the way it relates to its citizens,"

Lord Holme, chairman of the Constitution Committee said,

"The broad constitutional implications of these changes have not thus far been sufficiently closely scrutinised. As a committee we hope to get to the bottom of how these changes are altering the relationship between individuals and the State, and to ascertain whether necessary protection is in place."