Reversing the rise of the surveillance state

Dominic Grieve has launched a new policy paper containing plans to reduce the role of surveillance and protect the public's privacy.

The Shadow Justice Secretary said the paper is a response to an ever increasing intrusive Government which relies on expensive databases and the reduction of civil liberties.

Dominic set out our agenda for fewer central databases and stronger duties on government to keep the private information it gathers safe in an 11 point plan, with measures including:

• Scrapping the National Identity Register and ContactPoint database
• Establishing clear principles for the use and retention of DNA on the National DNA Database, including ending the permanent or prolonged retention of innocent people's DNA
• Restricting and restraining local council access to personal communications data
• Reviewing protection of personal privacy from the surveillance state as part of a British Bill of Rights.
• Strengthening the audit powers and independence of the Information Commissioner
• Requiring Privacy Impact Assessments on any proposals for new legislation or other measures that involve data collection or sharing at the earliest opportunity. Require government to consult the Information Commissioner on the PIA and publish his findings
• Immediately submitting the Home Office's plans for the retention of, and access to, communications data to the Information Commissioner for pre-legislative scrutiny
• Requiring new powers of data-sharing to be introduced into law by primary legislation, not by order.
• Appointing a Minister and senior civil servant (at Director General level) in each Government ministry with responsibility for departmental operational data security
• Tasking the Information Commissioner to publish guidelines on best practice in data security in the public sector
• Tasking the Information Commissioner to carry out a consultation with the private sector, with a view to establishing guidance on data security, including examining the viability of introducing an industry-wide kite mark system of best practice

Speaking at the launch, Dominic said:

"This Government’s approach to our personal privacy is the worst of all worlds – intrusive, ineffective and enormously expensive."

And he added:

"As we have seen time and time again, over-reliance on the database state is a poor substitute for the human judgment and care essential to the delivery of frontline public services. Labour’s surveillance state has exposed the public to greater – not less – risk."

Download the policy paper

Read Dominic's speech in full