On Tuesday 19th December, the House of Lords heard RSI’s concerns about the government’s proposed changes to data protection law.
During the Second Reading of the Data Protection and Digital Information (No. 2) Bill, Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle, a Green Party peer, said:
‘I have a couple of what I believe to be original points. I want to address specifically Clauses 28 and 30, and I acknowledge here a briefing from Rights and Security International. It notes that that these clauses enable the Government to grant an opt-out to police forces from having to comply with many of the data protection requirements when they are working with the intelligence services. For example, they could grant police immunity from handling personal data unlawfully and reduce people’s right of access to their personal data held by the authorities.
In the Commons, the Minister said these provisions would be “helpful” and “efficient”. I put it to your Lordships’ House that to interfere with rights such as these, at the very least the Government should claim, to have any justification, that they are “proportionate” and “necessary”.’ (at col 2195).
RSI has consistently told the government that these new police data powers are not necessary, and could breach the European Convention on Human Rights.
For more information, see RSI’s recent briefing on Clauses 28-30 of the Bill here.
