Skip to main content

Closed Circuit Television

Volume 495: debated on Tuesday 7 July 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what guidance the Information Commissioner has provided to local authorities on the use of CCTV cameras fitted with microphones. (284153)

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is the UK’s independent authority established to promote access to official information and to protect personal data.

The ICO has not issued guidance specifically for local authorities on the operation of CCTV cameras. However, the Office published a revised edition of its CCTV code of practice in 2008. The code offers guidance to all operators of CCTV cameras to ensure compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA).

In addition, the ICO provides guidance to any data controller in response to specific queries; such queries could include the operation of CCTV cameras.