News story: Surveillance Camera Commissioner and Information Commissioner sign MoU

Tony Porter, Surveillance Camera Commissioner, and Elizabeth Denham, Information Commissioner, have published a revised memorandum of understanding.

The memorandum is a statement of intent that has at its heart, the protection of the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens in respect of their privacy, the protection of their personal information and also the public interest which arises when balancing those considerations against a legitimate duty to protect communities, where it is necessary to do so.

It clearly sets out a framework for cooperation, coordínation and information sharing between the Surveillance Camera Commissioner and the lnformation Commissioner in connection with the sharing of relevant information and the delivery of their statutory functions where it is considered by the commissioners to be in the public interest for them to do so.

Surveillance Camera Commissioner, Tony Porter, said:

I’m delighted to publish this revised memorandum of understanding with Elizabeth which sees another deliverable of the national surveillance camera stratgey for England and Wales met.

It sets out the roles of each of our offices and practical working level arrangements between us. Given the way that surveillance cameras can now collect and manipulate personal data it’s extremely important that we have a framework in place to bolster our excellent working relationship. With the changes in data protection legislation coming in next year this is something that is very much in the public interest.