Scotland set to be first in the world to have guidelines on authorities’ use of biometric data

Scotland is set to become the first country in the world to set a statutory Code of Practice on the use of biometric data for policing and criminal justice.

A draft code has been drawn up by the Scottish Government’s justice and veterans secretary Keith Brown. It covers acquisition, retention, use and destruction of biometric data by law enforcement and the judiciary and has been approved without amendment by the Scottish Parliament.

The code will come before ministers on 7 September and then if approved, will come into effect on or around 16 November.