§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if, in the light of the recent decision by a registered homes tribunal in the case of Haughtonv. Kirklees metropolitan council, he will make it his Department's policy actively to discourage the installation of closed-circuit televison cameras in residential or nursing homes.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe installation of closed-circuit television is a matter for social services authorities to decide with respect to homes under their own management and for registration authorities where it affects private and voluntary homes. Authorities need to be sure that their use is fully justified in any particular home.
The installation of closed-circuit television cameras in residential or nursing homes may have a role to play in resident security and safety but it may constitute an invasion of privacy and lead to a reduction in personal contact between staff and residents.