Scottish Biometrics Commissioner - functions review: consultation responses summary

Executive Summary

This report presents an analysis of responses to the Scottish Government’s public consultation on the functions of the Scottish Biometrics Commissioner (SBC).

The responses relate to those submitted via the online consultation platform, Citizen Space, or received manually via other means (email attaching an open text response). It draws on both quantitative analysis of closed questions and qualitative thematic analysis of open questions and manual responses.

The consultation asked for views on whether the SBC's functions and the bodies subject to the SBC’s oversight and code of practice under the Scottish Biometrics Commissioner Act 2020 (“the 2020 Act”) were appropriate.

The consultation also invited any other comments in relation to the matters raised and which respondents considered had not been covered by any of the earlier questions.

A total of 14 responses were received to this consultation. Of the total responses, nine (57%) were from organisations and five (43%) from individuals.

The qualitative analysis in the report focuses on identifying the range and nature of views expressed, rather than the prevalence of particular positions where further insight on such matters is set out under the quantitative analysis.

As with all public consultations, the responses reflect the views of those who chose to engage and are not necessarily representative of the wider population.