Written question asked by Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer (Liberal Democrat), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Baroness Neville-Jones (Conservative) on Wednesday, 16 February 2011.

Police: Databases

Question: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Jones on 7 February (WA 31–2), whether, if data are held by the police on individuals because they are deemed to be a domestic extremist or hardcore activist, they will propose a legal definition of such categories.

Answer: The Home Office neither has access to nor holds the information on police databases which are maintained to tackle domestic extremism. Databases containing data on domestic extremism must comply with statutory regulations requiring that police can only collect and retain information for legitimate policing purposes which are described as protecting life and property, preserving order, preventing the commission of offences, bringing offenders to justice or any duty or responsibility of the police arising from common or statute law. The application of these regulations applies to peaceful protestors or a person alleged to be a domestic extremist who had not committed any criminal act. Any proposed reform of what data may be held on individuals would apply equally to those on the domestic extremism database as to any other database. The Government currently have no plans to provide a legal definition of domestic extremism, but will of course take note of any recommendations that emerge from HM Inspectorate of Constabulary’s wider review of intelligence handling by National Domestic Extremism Units.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 6846; 725 c191-2WA
Session: 2010-12
Related items: Police: Undercover
Monday, 7 February 2011
Written questions
House of Lords
Subjects: Databases Police Protest Radicalism
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk