Commissioner calls for post-election ‘reset’ of UK Government Biometrics Strategy

In an article published today in the UK Security Journal (Security Journal UK article) the Scottish Biometrics Commissioner Dr Brian Plastow has called for a reset of UK Government Biometrics Strategy. The Commissioner has previously criticised statements made by the former policing minister for England and Wales who planned to give the police routine access to the passport and driving licence images of millions of innocent UK citizens so that they could be bulk washed through facial recognition when investigating minor crimes like shoplifting. He has also been critical of plans by the former administration to dilute independent oversight in England and Wales.

The Commissioner is now calling on the new UK Government to conduct a strategic reset of UK Biometrics Strategy together with the development of a ‘national biometric interoperability framework’ to which independent oversight safeguards are applied. The Commissioner has called for a more proportionate approach and has highlighted that responsibly enhancing the interoperability of biometric systems and biometric exchange between various agencies of the State will strengthen our national security, improve border security, improve public service, and help to prevent, disrupt, and detect criminal activity.

The original unedited article prepared by the Commissioner can be accessed here