Electronic Surveillance (Hansard, 27 February 1995)

§ Mr. Bermingham
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are in place within the European Community for the protection of employees in the workplace who may be subject to electronic surveillance without their prior authorisation or consent; and what legislation relates to the unlawful use of electronic monitoring equipment with respect to privacy and data protection.

§ Mr. Nicholas Baker
As to the first part of the question, I am aware of no such measures. As to the second part, I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to a question from him on 21 February,Official Report, column 158

§ Mr. Bermingham
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what investigations have been undertaken in relation to organisations involved in electronic bugging of offices or other workplace premises in the last 10 years.

§ Mr. Nicholas Baker
No such records are held.

§ Mr. Bermingham
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 21 February,Official Report, columns 158–59, if he will outline the nature and extent of complaints lodged with his Department in relation to the operation and practices of companies or organisations involving electronic surveillance services.

§ Mr. Nicholas Baker
Advertisements offering information-gathering services, which may or may not involve electronic surveillance devices, attracted about 40 letters of complaint from hon. Members and others in 1994. The main point of concern was that confidential personal information could be obtained without authority and advertised for sale. The amendment to the Data Protection Act 1984 made by section 161 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 addresses this concern.