Surveillance: Citizens and the State: 2nd Report of Session 2008-09

This is the second report from the House of Lords Select Committee on the Constitution examining the relationship between surveillance, citizens and the state. The Committee sought to answer a number of questions, including: Have increased surveillance and data collection by the state fundamentally altered the way it relates to its citizens? What forms of surveillance and data collection might be considered constitutionally proper or improper? Is there a line that should not be crossed? How could it be identified? What effect do public and private sector surveillance and data collection have on a citizen’s liberty and privacy? How have surveillance and data collection altered the nature of citizenship in the 21st century, especially in terms of citizens’ relationship with the state? Is the Data Protection Act 1998 sufficient to protect citizens? And, is there a need for additional constitutional protection for citizens in relation to surveillance and the collection of data? The Committee has set out a number of recommendations, which cover the following areas: information commissioners; the national DNA database; CCTV; legislation and the legislative process; the Government and Parliament; and public and private sector organisations.