§ Mrs. Ann TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many police forces in Scotland have set up video surveillance systems to watch the general public; and, of those who have not, how many plan to do so;
(2) what research is currently being conducted into the effectiveness of video surveillance of the general public by the police forces in Scotland.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe Scottish Home and Health Department's advice to chief constables is that visual surveillance equipment should be used only when essential for the efficient conduct of police operations. The use of such equipment is an operational matter for chief constables, and there is no central record of its use. No Scottish force has undertaken research on this matter.