Lords report slams UK 'surveillance society'

The “pervasive and routine” spying on the British public by the Government and the private sector is undermining the basic premise of democracy in the UK.

This was the stark warning from the House of Lords Constitution Committee as it published its investigation into the rise in surveillance and data collection.

In the report, Surveillance: Citizens and the State, the committee pointed out that the UK is now thought to lead the world in the use of CCTV, with an estimated four million cameras in operation nationwide.

It highlighted concerns about the National DNA Database (NDNAD), which is the largest in proportionate terms in the world. The DNA of 7.39 per cent of the UK population is held on the NDNAD; compared to the FBI’s Codis database, which holds the DNA of just 0.5 per cent of the US population.

The report argues that the NDNAD potentially infringes civil liberties and could in the future be used for malign purposes.

It also said that local authorities' use of powers under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) to spy on the public over issues such as littering and to check residential status over school applications, was “a clear misuse of power”.

Lord Goodlad, chairman of the House of Lords Constitution Committee, said: “The UK now has more CCTV cameras and a bigger national DNA database than any other country. There can be no justification for this gradual but incessant creep towards every detail about us being recorded and pored over by the state.”

The committee came up with 44 recommendations to protect individuals. These included re-examining whether local authorities should be able to use RIPA powers.

It recommended that a Parliamentary Joint Committee be set up to oversee the state’s surveillance and data powers and wants stronger powers for the Information Commissioner’s Office.

It said although it expected the Government to act quickly to comply with the recent European Court of Human Rights decision to remove the DNA profiles of people arrested but not convicted of an offence from the NDNAD, it wants a Bill to replace the existing regulatory framework governing the database.

This would help ensure if people voluntarily gave DNA to assist an investigation, it was removed at the close of that inquiry.

Because the public are often unaware of the vast amount of information about them that is kept and exchanged by organisations, the committee said more must be done to raise awareness of privacy issues.

“If the public are to trust that information about them is not being improperly used, there should be much more openness about what data is collected, by whom and how it is used,” said Lord Goodlad.