5.8 Biometrics Commissioner and Surveillance Camera Commissioner

○ Somewhat agree ○ Neither agree nor disagree ○ Somewhat disagree ○ Strongly disagree

Please explain your answer, and provide supporting evidence where possible.

Enhancing the ICO’s accountability regarding investigations

407. In order to ensure that the ICO's investigations and any resulting enforcement action are conducted in a timely manner, the government is considering setting out further accountability requirements on the regulator.

408. The government proposes placing a requirement on the ICO to set out anticipated

timelines for the phases of an investigation to the relevant data controller(s) at the

beginning of an investigation. Provision would be made to allow the ICO to extend these timelines, particularly in response to changing circumstances if required.

The government welcomes views on the following question:

Q5.7.9. To what extent do you agree with the proposal to require the ICO to set out to the relevant data controller(s) at the beginning of an investigation the anticipated timelines for phases of its investigation? ○ Strongly agree ○ Somewhat agree ○ Neither agree nor disagree ○ Somewhat disagree ○ Strongly disagree

Please explain your answer, and provide supporting evidence where possible.

5.8 Biometrics Commissioner and Surveillance Camera Commissioner

409. We must continue to review and simplify the regulatory landscape and the functions of the ICO to avoid duplication, overlaps and lack of clarity. For example, the oversight arrangements for the police's use of biometrics and overt surveillance are crowded and confusing. The Biometrics Commissioner covers police use of DNA samples, DNS profiles and fingerprints, and the Surveillance Camera Commissioner covers all use of surveillance cameras by specified public authorities (including local authorities and the police), while the ICO covers the processing of all personal data by the public and the private sector in the UK.

410. The government recently simplified these arrangements by appointing one person to take on what were previously the part-time roles of Biometrics Commissioner and Surveillance Camera Commissioner. The government will explore the potential for further simplifying the

oversight framework by absorbing the functions of those commissioner roles into the ICO, which should bring benefits to data controllers and the public with a single route for advice, guidance and redress.