Privacy

This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on privacy. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.

Standard Notes

Date	Description
10.05.2013	Communications Data: The draft Bill and recent developments
	The draft Communications Data Bill was announced in the Queen's Speech in 2012 and it was published on 14 June 2012. The Bill was subject to pre-legislative scrutiny and some aspects of the Government's proposals were criticised. The Bill was frequently referred to by critics as a 'snooper's charter' and it was not taken forward in the 2012-13 session. New Government proposals on cybercrime were foreshadowed in the 2013 Queen's Speech, but these appear to be more limited than the plans set out in the draft Bill.
19.04.2013	Identity theft: What to do
	This standard note includes, what identity theft, where to go for advice or assistance and information on identity fraud relating to financial crimes.
07.01.2013	Data Protection: Access to personal information
	The Data Protection Act 1998 regulates the use of personal information held on computer and, in some cases, in manual form by both the public and the private sector throughout the United Kingdom. The Act gives individuals the right of access to personal data which is being held on them. There are various other rights under the Act. The Act is enforced by the Information Commissioner (formerly the Data Protection Registrar).
18.05.2012	Internet surveillance
	This note looks at the history of the two programmes, cites the justifications given by successive governments for what critics have dubbed a 'snooper's charter' and details some of the objections that have been raised against surveillance of this sort.
23.05.2011	Privacy
	The incorporation into UK law of the European Convention on Human Rights has led to the development of privacy law. This note summarises the effect of the Human Rights Act 1998 and the recent controversies over the use of injunctions and super-injunctions.

Research Papers

Date	Description
14.12.2012	Justice and Security Bill
	This paper has been prepared for the Second Reading of the Justice and Security Bill in the House of Commons, which is due to take place on 18 December 2012. The Bill, which has proved contentious, was originally introduced in the House of Lords on 28 May 2012. It is aimed at modernising and strengthening the oversight of the intelligence and security services and would allow the civil courts to use closed material procedures to hear sensitive evidence in cases that raised national security concerns. It would also preclude the courts from ordering the disclosure of sensitive information in certain circumstances. The Bill was revised significantly in the Lords and was introduced in the House of Commons on 28 November 2012.
28.06.2011	Protection of Freedoms Bill: Committee Stage Report Bill 189 of 2010-11
	This is a report on the House of Commons Committee Stage of the Protection of Freedoms Bill. It complements Research Paper 11/20 prepared for the Commons Second Reading.
23.02.2011	Protection of Freedoms Bill [Bill 146 of 2010-11]
	This briefing on the Protection of Freedoms Bill was prepared for the House of Commons Second Reading debate. The Bill forms part of the Coalition Government's programme to 'implement a full programme of measures to reverse the substantial erosion of civil liberties and roll back state intrusion', and follows the passing of the Identity Documents Act 2010, which abolished identity cards. The Bill introduces a wide range of measures including the a new framework for police retention of fingerprints and DNA data, a requirement for schools to get parents' consent before processing children's biometric information, a new regime for police stops and searches under the Terrorism Act 2000 and the reduction of the maximum pre-charge detention period under that Act from 28 to 14 days. It also restricts the scope of the 'vetting and barring' scheme for protecting vulnerable groups and makes changes to the system of criminal records checks.
02.02.2011	Anonymity (Arrested Persons) Bill [Bill 9 of 2010-11]
	The Anonymity (Arrested Persons) Bill is a Private Member's Bill sponsored by Anna Soubry. It would prohibit the publication or broadcast of the name, address or image of a person arrested for an offence if such information would be likely to lead members of the public to identify him or her as the person suspected of committing the offence in question. These reporting restrictions would remain in force unless and until the arrested person was charged with the offence for which he or she had been arrested. In certain circumstances a Crown Court judge would be able to direct that the reporting restrictions should not apply, for example if publishing the identity of the suspect might lead to new complainants or witnesses coming forward.
18.08.2010	Identity Documents Bill: Committee Stage Report
	This is a report on the House of Commons Committee Stage of the Bill. It complements Research Paper 10/41, prepared for the Commons Second Reading. The Bill would abolish identity cards and delete the associated data from the National Identity Register. Existing ID card holders would not be compensated for the £30 paid - one of the issues that has attracted significant debate. The Bill would also retain measures to combat the production and possession of false identity documentation and allow for information sharing in connection with passport applications and determinations as to whether passports should be withdrawn. No amendments were made to the Bill during the Committee Stage.

Select Committee Reports

Date	Description
08.03.2011	The National DNA Database.
	Government response. Home Affairs Select Committee; Home Office report [Commons]
21.12.2010	A surveillance society?.
	Government response. Information Commissioner; Home Affairs Select Committee report [Commons]
04.03.2010	The National DNA Database.
	Home Affairs Select Committee report [Commons]

Early Day Motions

Date	Description
28.06.2011	WPP AND AN INTERNET BILL OF RIGHTS
	That this House is deeply concerned that privacy is gradually being eroded by private companies using the internet to obtain personal data and selling it for commercial gain; notes ...
20.10.2010	EUROPEAN HEALTH INSURANCE CARDS
	That this House notes that the Government provides EU Health Insurance cards free of charge, despite not being required so to do by European social security regulations 883/2004 and ...
12.01.2010	INVESTIGATORY POWERS (S.I., 2009, No. 3404)
	That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Covert Human Intelligence Sources Order: Matters Subject to Legal Privilege) ...
04.11.2009	IDENTITY CARDS (S.I., 2009, No. 2575)
	That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that the Identity Cards Act 2006 (Provision of Information with Consent) Regulations 2009 (S.I., 2009, No. 2575), dated 23 ...
04.11.2009	IDENTITY CARDS (S.I., 2009, No. 2574)
	That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that the Identity Cards Act 2006 (National Identity Registration Number) Regulations 2009 (S.I., 2009, No. 2574), dated 23 ...

Lords Library Notes

Date	Description
03.11.2011	Protection of Freedoms Bill (HL Bill 99 of 2010-12)
	This Library Note provides background information in advance of the Protection of Freedoms Bill's second reading in the House of Lords.
14.10.2010	Identity Documents Bill (HL Bill 19 of 2010-11). LLN 2010/024
	Identity Documents Bill. House of Lords Library Note 2010/024

POST Papers

Date	Description
31.05.2013	Monitoring Internet Communications
	Internet communications are often monitored to investigate criminal activity. Recent attempts to update UK regulation of investigatory powers have generated controversy. This POSTnote explains the use of different internet monitoring methods and discusses the impact of evolving technologies.