Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 Explanatory Notes

  • Explanatory Notes Table of contents

  1. Introduction

  2. Summary

  3. Background

    1. Part 1: Regulation of biometric data

      1. Chapter 1: Destruction, retention and use of fingerprints etc.

      2. Chapter 2 of Part 1: Protection of biometric information of children in schools etc.

    2. Part 2: Regulation of surveillance

      1. Chapter 1: Regulation of CCTV and other surveillance camera technology

      2. Chapter 2 of Part 2: Safeguards for certain surveillance under RIPA

    3. Part 3: Protection of property from disproportionate enforcement action

      1. Chapter 1: Powers of Entry

      2. Chapter 2 of Part 3: Vehicles left on land

    4. Part 4: Counter-terrorism powers

    5. Part 5: Safeguarding vulnerable groups, criminal records etc.

      1. Chapters 1 to 3: Safeguarding of vulnerable groups and criminal records

      2. Chapter 4 of Part 5: Disregarding certain convictions for buggery etc.

    6. Part 6: Freedom of information and data protection

    7. Part 7: Miscellaneous and general

      Trafficking people for exploitation

      1. Repeal of provisions for conducting certain fraud cases without jury

  4. Territorial Extent

  5. The Act

    1. Commentary on Sections

      1. Part 1: Regulation of biometric data

        1. Chapter 1: Destruction, retention and use of fingerprints etc.

          1. Section 1: Destruction of fingerprints and DNA profiles

          2. Section 2: Material retained pending investigation or proceedings

          3. Section 3: Persons arrested for or charged with a qualifying offence

          4. Section 4: Persons arrested for or charged with a minor offence

          5. Section 5: Persons convicted of a recordable offence

          6. Section 6: Persons convicted of an offence outside England and Wales

          7. Section 7: Persons under 18 convicted of first minor offence

          8. Section 8: Persons given a penalty notice

          9. Section 9: Material retained for purposes of national security

          10. Section 10: Material given voluntarily

          11. Section 11: Material retained with consent

          12. Section 12: Material obtained for one purpose and used for another

          13. Section 13: Destruction of copies

          14. Section 14: Destruction of samples

          15. Section 15: Destruction of impressions of footwear

          16. Section 16: Use of retained material

          17. Section 17: Exclusions for certain regimes

          18. Section 18: Interpretation and minor amendments of PACE

          19. Section 19: Amendments of regimes other than PACE

          20. Schedule 1:  Amendments of regimes other than PACE

            1. Part 1: Material subject to the Terrorism Act 2000

            2. Part 2: Material subject to the International Criminal Court Act 2001

            3. Part 3: National security material subject to section 18 of the Counter-Terrorism Act 2008

            4. Part 4: Material subject to the Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Act 2011

            5. Part 5: Material subject to the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995

            6. Part 6: Material subject to the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989

            7. Part 7: Corresponding Northern Ireland provision for excepted or reserved matters etc.

          21. Section 20: Appointment and functions of Commissioner

          22. Section 21: Reports by Commissioner

          23. Section 22: Guidance on making national security determinations

          24. Section 23: Inclusion of DNA profiles on National DNA Database

          25. Section 24: National DNA Database Strategy Board

          26. Section 25: Material taken before commencement

        2. Chapter 2 of Part 1: Protection of biometric information of children in schools etc.

          1. Section 26: Requirement for consent before processing biometric information

          2. Section 27: Exceptions and further provision about consent

          3. Section 28: Interpretation: Chapter 2

      2. Part 2: Regulation of surveillance

        1. Chapter 1: Regulation of CCTV and other surveillance camera technology

          1. Section 29: Code of practice for surveillance camera systems

          2. Section 30:  Issuing of the code

          3. Section 31: Alteration or replacement of the code

          4. Section 32: Publication of code

          5. Section 33: Effect of code

          6. Section 34: Commissioner in relation to code

          7. Section 35: Reports by Commissioner

          8. Section 36: Interpretation: Chapter 1

        2. Chapter 2 of Part 2: Safeguards for certain surveillance under RIPA

          1. Section 37: Judicial approval for obtaining or disclosing communications data

          2. Section 38: Judicial approval for directed surveillance and covert human intelligence sources

      3. Part 3: Protection of property from disproportionate enforcement action

        1. Chapter 1: Powers of Entry

          1. Section 39 and Schedule 2: Repealing etc. unnecessary or inappropriate powers of entry

          2. Section 40: Adding safeguards to powers of entry

          3. Section 41: Rewriting powers of entry

          4. Section 42: Duty to review certain existing powers of entry

          5. Section 43: Consultation requirements before modifying powers of entry

          6. Section 44: Procedural and supplementary provisions

          7. Section 45: Devolution: Scotland and Northern Ireland

          8. Section 46: Sections 39 to 46: interpretation

          9. Section 47: Code of Practice in relation to non-devolved powers of entry

          10. Section 48: Issuing of code

          11. Section 49: Alteration or replacement of code

          12. Section 50: Publication of code

          13. Section 51: Effect of code

          14. Section 52: Sections 47 to 51: interpretation

          15. Section 53 and Schedule 3: Corresponding code in relation to Welsh devolved powers of entry

        2. Chapter 2 of Part 3: Vehicles left on land

          1. Section 54: Offence of immobilising etc. vehicles

          2. Section 55: Extension of powers to remove vehicles from land

          3. Section 56: Recovery of unpaid parking charges

        3. Schedule 4: Recovery of unpaid parking charges

      4. Part 4: Counter-terrorism powers

        1. Section 57: Maximum detention period of 14 days

        2. Section 58:  Emergency power for temporary extension and review of extensions

        3. Section 59: Repeal of existing stop and search powers

        4. Section 60: Replacement powers to stop and search persons and vehicles

        5. Section 61: Replacement powers to stop and search in specified locations

        6. Schedule 5: Replacement powers to stop and search: Supplementary Provisions

        7. Section 62: Code of Practice

        8. Section 63: Stop and search powers in relation to Northern Ireland

        9. Schedule 6: Stop and search powers: Northern Ireland

      5. Part 5: Safeguarding vulnerable groups, criminal records etc.

        1. Chapter 1: Safeguarding of vulnerable groups

          1. Section 64: Restriction of scope of regulated activities: children

          2. Section 65: Restriction of definition of vulnerable adults

          3. Section 66: Restriction of scope of regulated activities: vulnerable adults

          4. Section 67: Alteration of test for barring decisions

          5. Section 68: Abolition of controlled activity

          6. Section 69: Abolition of monitoring

          7. Section 70: Information for purposes of making barring decisions

          8. Section 71: Review of barring decisions

          9. Section 72: Information about barring decisions

          10. Section 73: Duty to check whether person barred

          11. Section 74: Restrictions on duplication with Scottish and Northern Ireland barred lists

          12. Section 75: Professional bodies

          13. Section 76: Supervisory authorities

          14. Section 77: Minor amendments

          15. Section 78: Corresponding amendments in relation to Northern Ireland

          16. Schedule 7: Safeguarding of vulnerable groups: Northern Ireland

        2. Chapter 2 of Part 5: Criminal Records

          1. Section 79: Restriction on information provided to certain persons

          2. Section 80: Minimum age for applicants for certificates or to be registered

          3. Section 81: Additional grounds for refusing an application to be registered

          4. Section 82: Enhanced criminal record certificates: additional safeguards

          5. Section 83: Up-dating certificates

          6. Section 84: Criminal conviction certificates: conditional cautions

          7. Section 85: Inclusion of cautions etc. in national police records

          8. Section 86: Out of date references to certificates of criminal records

        3. Chapter 3 of Part 5: The Disclosure and Barring Service

          1. Section 87: Formation and constitution of DBS

          2. Schedule 8: Disclosure and Barring Service

          3. Section 88: Transfer of functions to DBS and dissolution of ISA

          4. Section 89: Orders under section 88

          5. Section 90: Transfer schemes in connection with orders under section 88

          6. Section 91: Tax in connection with transfer schemes

        4. Chapter 4 of Part 5: Disregarding certain convictions for buggery etc.

          1. Section 92: Power of Secretary of State to disregard convictions or cautions

          2. Section 93: Applications to the Secretary of State

          3. Section 94: Procedure for decisions by the Secretary of State

          4. Section 95: Effect of disregard on police and other records

          5. Section 96: Effect of disregard for disclosure and other purposes

          6. Section 97: Saving for Royal pardons etc.

          7. Section 98: Section 96: supplementary

          8. Section 99: Appeal against refusal to disregard convictions or cautions

          9. Section 100: Advisers

          10. Section 101: Interpretation: Chapter 4

      6. Part 6: Freedom of information and data protection

        1. Section 102: Release and publication of datasets held by public authorities

        2. Section 103: Meaning of “publicly-owned company”

        3. Section 104: Extension of certain provisions to Northern Ireland bodies

        4. Section 105: Appointment and tenure of Information Commissioner

        5. Section 106: Alteration of role of Secretary of State in relation to guidance powers

        6. Section 107: Removal of Secretary of State consent for fee-charging powers etc.

        7. Section 108: Removal of Secretary of State approval for staff numbers, terms etc.

      7. Part 7: Miscellaneous and general

        1. Section 109: Trafficking people for sexual exploitation

        2. Section 110: Trafficking people for labour or other exploitation

        3. Section 111: Offences in relation to stalking

        4. Section 112: Power of entry in relation to stalking

        5. Section 113: Repeal of provisions for conducting certain fraud cases without jury

        6. Section 114: Removal of restrictions on times for marriage or civil partnership

        7. Section 115: Consequential amendments, repeals and revocations

        8. Schedule 9: Consequential amendments

          1. Part 1: Destruction, retention and use of fingerprints and samples etc.

          2. Part 3: Safeguards for certain surveillance under RIPA

          3. Part 4: Vehicles left on land

          4. Part 7: Criminal records

        9. Section 116: Transitional, transitory or saving provision

        10. Section 118: Channel Islands and Isle of Man

        11. Section 119: Extent

        12. Section 120: Commencement

  6. Commencement

  7. Hansard References

  8. ANNEX AGLOSSARY

  9. ANNEX B

  • Explanatory Notes Table of contents

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