Scottish Biometrics Commissioner - review of functions: consultation

Footnotes

1 Section 6 of the 2020 Act (legislation.gov.uk).

2 SBC Website https://www.biometricscommissioner.scot/.

3 SBC – Strategic Plan for period 2021-25 (www.biometricscomissioner.scot).

4 Consultation on a new legal framework for law enforcement use of biometrics, facial recognition and similar technologies – Published December 2025. (www.gov.uk).

5 IAG Report on the use of Biometric Data in Scotland (2018) (www.gov.scot).

6 SBC Act 2020 (legislation.gov.uk).

7 SBC – Who we are (www.biometricscommissioner.scot).

8 SBC Code of Practice on the acquisition, use, retention and destruction of biometric data (2022) (www.biometricscommissioner.scot).

9 Police Scotland Biometrics Information Leaflet (www.biometricscommissioner.scot).

10 Police Scotland Biometrics webpage (www.scotland.police.uk).

11 See footnotes 33-35.

12 The First Scottish Biometrics Conference and Highlights from the first Scottish Biometrics Conference (www.biometricscommissioner.scot).

13 This would ultimately require UK Parliament approval using powers under section 104 of the Scotland Act 1998 or a UK Act.

14 See footnote 3.

15 SBC - Business Plan 2023-24 (www.biometricscommissioner.scot).

16 SBC - Business Plan 2024-25 (www.biometricscommissioner.scot).

17 SBC – Business Plan 2025-26 (www.biometricscommissioner.scot).

18 SBC - National Assessment Framework (2022) (www.biometricscommissoner.scot).

19 SBC - Logic Model and Outcomes Framework 2025-29 (for the purposes of considering the deliverables proposed by the SBC in the period relating to the SBC’s current Strategic Plan for period 2025-29) (www.biometricscommissioner.scot).

20 SBC - Annual Report 2021-22 (www.biometricscommissioner.scot).

21 SBC – Annual Report 2022-23 (www.biometricscommissioner.scot).

22 SBC – Annual Report 2023-24 (www.biometricscommisioner.scot).

23 SBC – Annual Report 2024-25 (www.biometricscommissioner.scot).

24 SBC - Joint assurance review of the acquisition of biometric data from children arrested in Scotland (2023) (www.biometricscommissioner.scot).

25 SBC - Joint assurance review on the acquisition of biometrics data from vulnerable persons in police custody requiring the support of an Appropriate Adult under The Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 (Support for Vulnerable Persons) Regulations 2019 (2023) (www.biometricscommissioner.scot).

26 SBC - Assurance review of the acquisition, use and retention of images and photographs for criminal justice and police purposes (2024) (www.biometricscommissioner.scot).

27 SBC - Joint Assurance Review of the acquisition, retention, use and destruction of DNA for criminal justice and police purposes in Scotland (2025) (www.biometricscommissioner.scot).

28 SBC - Joint Assurance Review of the use of retrospective facial search technologies for criminal justice and police purposes in Scotland (2025) (www.biometricscommissioner.scot).

29 Expected to be published in 2026 – Source: Terms of Reference (www.biometricscommissioner.scot).

30 SBC - Code of Practice Compliance Assessments (Police Scotland - 2023, 2025, SPA - 2023, 2025, PIRC - 2023, 2025) (www.biometricscommissoner.scot).

31 SBC – First Statutory Three Year Review of the Code of Practice (www.biometricscommissioner.scot).

32 SBC - Communication and Engagement Strategy 2024-26 (www.biometricscommissoner.scot).

33 SBC & Scotcen Social Research - Public attitudes to police use of biometric data (2022) (www.biometricscommissioner.scot).

34 SBC & Children and Young Peoples Centre for Justice - Thematic Review of Biometric Data –Children and Young People’s Perspectives (2023) (www.biometricscommissioner.scot).

35 SBC, SPA and Diffley Partnership - Public attitudes to police use of biometrics data (2025) (www.biometricscommissioner.scot).

36 Information Commissioner Office (ICO): Understanding the public’s views and experiences of biometric technologies (2025) (www.ico.org.uk).

37 Various sources accessed from the SBC news webpage (www.biometricscommissioner.scot).

38 See footnote 37.

39 SBC - Complaints Handling Procedure (www.biometricscommissoner.scot).

40 See footnote 23.

41 SBC – Advisory Group (www.biometricscommissioner.scot).

42 Independent review – Independent advisory group on new and emerging technologies in policing: final report (2023) (www.gov.scot).

43 Public space CCTV in Scotland: research findings (2023) (www.gov.scot).

44 Independent legal review of the governance of biometric data in England and Wales (2022) (www.adalovelaceinstitute.org).

45 The Future of Biometric Technology for Policing and Law Enforcement - Informing UK Regulation Research Report (2025) (www.cetas.turing.ac.uk).

46 https://cetas.turing.ac.uk/institutional-publication/eye-future (2025) (www.adalovelaceinstitute.org).

47 Various sources accessed from the SPA website (www.spa.police.uk).

48 SG and SBC - A review of the retention of biometric data provided for under sections 18 to 19C of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 (2024) (www.gov.scot).

49 Various sources to be accessed online.

50 See footnote 49.

51 Where reference has been made to the SBC as part of an oral or written parliamentary question and/or the SG’s response (www.parliament.scot).

52 SBC attends the Criminal Justice Committee (2024) (www.biometricscommissioner.scot)

53 SBC attends the Finance and Public Administration Committee (2024). (www.biometricscommissioner.scot).

54 SBC attends SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review Committee (2025) (www.biometricscommissioner.scot).

55 See footnote 37.

56 See footnote 39