News

The Commissioner has today published the first annual assessment on compliance with the Scottish Code of Practice by the SPA. The Code of Practice relates to the use of biometric data under the Scottish Biometrics Commissioner Act 2020 and therefore...

The Commissioner has today published the first annual assessment on compliance with the Scottish Code of Practice by Police Scotland . The Code of Practice relates to the use of biometric data under the Scottish Biometrics Commissioner Act 2020 and...

The Commissioner has today published the first annual assessment on compliance with the Scottish Code of Practice by the PIRC. The Code of Practice relates to the use of biometric data under the Scottish Biometrics Commissioner Act 2020 and therefore...

In this short opinion piece, I discuss the process of democratic backsliding to highlight a worrying pattern of decreasing democracy in the UK. In doing so I engage with the recurring theme of disempowerment, including of independent oversight of the...

The Scottish Biometrics Commissioner Dr Brian Plastow has today removed the former Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner for England and Wales from membership of his Advisory Group in Scotland. This follows the appointment of Professor Fraser Sampson as a non-executive...

Welcome to the November 2023 newsletter for the Scottish Biometrics Commissioner, Since our last newsletter I have laid both my 2022/23 Annual Report & Accounts and my first Operational Report 2022/23.

The Scottish Biometrics Commissioner Dr Brian Plastow has today welcomed the Parliament’s Criminal Justice Committee’s pre-budget scrutiny report which identifies opportunities for reform and calls for a detailed programme of investment in the criminal justice system on a spend-to-save basis.

The Commissioner has today welcomed the publication of the Independent Report on the impact of changes to the functions of the Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner for England and Wales arising from the above Bill. The Bill abolishes the role...

On 17 and 18 October 2023, the Commissioner attended the global Biometrics Institute Conference at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London. In a keynote address: ‘Impossible Crimes; Unless you know about biometrics’ the Commissioner presented three international case...

‘It has been widely reported in the media that Christopher Philp, a junior Minister within the UK Government serving as Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire (England and Wales) has stated that he plans to integrate the semi-automated...

The Commissioner has written to Police Scotland highlighting his concerns about Police Scotland ‘offshoring’ sensitive Scottish biometric data in the U.S. Cloud. The Commissioner’s letter highlights data sovereignty and data security concerns that arise from Police Scotland uploading biometric data...

On 13 September 2023, the Commissioner met with the Cabinet Secretary at Parliament to discuss the Scottish Code of Practice. Planned assurance activity over the coming months in was also discussed. The Commissioner highlighted the potential for Ministers to consider...