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Police: Surveillance

Volume 472: debated on Thursday 21 February 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance her Department (a) has issued and (b) plans to issue to the police on the use of photographs taken by surveillance cameras to (i) detect and (ii) prosecute those observed committing an offence under (A) section 14 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and (B) the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment) (No.4) Regulations 2003; what recent representations she has received on the issue; and if she will make a statement. (186289)

Enforcement of these offences is an operational matter for the police. The Home Office has issued no guidance on the use of photographs taken by surveillance cameras to detect those committing the offences and there are no plans to issue such guidance.

For certain motoring offences, the law specifically provides that evidence from a camera or other device is admissible in court if the device is of a type approved by the Secretary of State. For other motoring offences, including these, there is no such provision. Within the normal constraints of the law including on data protection and human rights it is for the police to decide on the evidence they need to put forward for a case to be considered for prosecution and how to obtain it.

The Home Office has had one recent representation on the issue, from a member of the public.