Protection of Freedoms Act 2012

1. Introduction

2. Summary

3. Background

   1. Part 1: Regulation of biometric data

      1. Chapter 1: Destruction, retention and use of fingerprints etc.

      2. Chapter 2 of Part 1: Protection of biometric information of children in schools etc.

   2. Part 2: Regulation of surveillance

      1. Chapter 1: Regulation of CCTV and other surveillance camera technology

      2. Chapter 2 of Part 2: Safeguards for certain surveillance under RIPA

   3. Part 3: Protection of property from disproportionate enforcement action

      1. Chapter 1: Powers of Entry

      2. Chapter 2 of Part 3: Vehicles left on land

   4. Part 4: Counter-terrorism powers

   5. Part 5: Safeguarding vulnerable groups, criminal records etc.

      1. Chapters 1 to 3: Safeguarding of vulnerable groups and criminal records

      2. Chapter 4 of Part 5: Disregarding certain convictions for buggery etc.

   6. Part 6: Freedom of information and data protection

   7. Part 7: Miscellaneous and general

      Trafficking people for exploitation

      1. Repeal of provisions for conducting certain fraud cases without jury

4. Territorial Extent

5. The Act

   1. Commentary on Sections

      1. Part 1: Regulation of biometric data

         1. Chapter 1: Destruction, retention and use of fingerprints etc.

            1. Section 1: Destruction of fingerprints and DNA profiles

            2. Section 2: Material retained pending investigation or proceedings

            3. Section 3: Persons arrested for or charged with a qualifying offence

            4. Section 4: Persons arrested for or charged with a minor offence

            5. Section 5: Persons convicted of a recordable offence

            6. Section 6: Persons convicted of an offence outside England and Wales

            7. Section 7: Persons under 18 convicted of first minor offence

            8. Section 8: Persons given a penalty notice

            9. Section 9: Material retained for purposes of national security

            10. Section 10: Material given voluntarily

            11. Section 11: Material retained with consent

            12. Section 12: Material obtained for one purpose and used for another

            13. Section 13: Destruction of copies

            14. Section 14: Destruction of samples

            15. Section 15: Destruction of impressions of footwear

            16. Section 16: Use of retained material

            17. Section 17: Exclusions for certain regimes

            18. Section 18: Interpretation and minor amendments of PACE

            19. Section 19: Amendments of regimes other than PACE

            20. Schedule 1:  Amendments of regimes other than PACE

                1. Part 1: Material subject to the Terrorism Act 2000

                2. Part 2: Material subject to the International Criminal Court Act 2001

                3. Part 3: National security material subject to section 18 of the Counter-Terrorism Act 2008

                4. Part 4: Material subject to the Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Act 2011

                5. Part 5: Material subject to the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995

                6. Part 6: Material subject to the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989

                7. Part 7: Corresponding Northern Ireland provision for excepted or reserved matters etc.

            21. Section 20: Appointment and functions of Commissioner

            22. Section 21: Reports by Commissioner

            23. Section 22: Guidance on making national security determinations

            24. Section 23: Inclusion of DNA profiles on National DNA Database

            25. Section 24: National DNA Database Strategy Board

            26. Section 25: Material taken before commencement

         2. Chapter 2 of Part 1: Protection of biometric information of children in schools etc.

            1. Section 26: Requirement for consent before processing biometric information

            2. Section 27: Exceptions and further provision about consent

            3. Section 28: Interpretation: Chapter 2

      2. Part 2: Regulation of surveillance

         1. Chapter 1: Regulation of CCTV and other surveillance camera technology

            1. Section 29: Code of practice for surveillance camera systems

            2. Section 30:  Issuing of the code

            3. Section 31: Alteration or replacement of the code

            4. Section 32: Publication of code

            5. Section 33: Effect of code

            6. Section 34: Commissioner in relation to code

            7. Section 35: Reports by Commissioner

            8. Section 36: Interpretation: Chapter 1

         2. Chapter 2 of Part 2: Safeguards for certain surveillance under RIPA

            1. Section 37: Judicial approval for obtaining or disclosing communications data

            2. Section 38: Judicial approval for directed surveillance and covert human intelligence sources

      3. Part 3: Protection of property from disproportionate enforcement action

         1. Chapter 1: Powers of Entry

            1. Section 39 and Schedule 2: Repealing etc. unnecessary or inappropriate powers of entry

            2. Section 40: Adding safeguards to powers of entry

            3. Section 41: Rewriting powers of entry

            4. Section 42: Duty to review certain existing powers of entry

            5. Section 43: Consultation requirements before modifying powers of entry

            6. Section 44: Procedural and supplementary provisions

            7. Section 45: Devolution: Scotland and Northern Ireland

            8. Section 46: Sections 39 to 46: interpretation

            9. Section 47: Code of Practice in relation to non-devolved powers of entry

            10. Section 48: Issuing of code

            11. Section 49: Alteration or replacement of code

            12. Section 50: Publication of code

            13. Section 51: Effect of code

            14. Section 52: Sections 47 to 51: interpretation

            15. Section 53 and Schedule 3: Corresponding code in relation to Welsh devolved powers of entry

         2. Chapter 2 of Part 3: Vehicles left on land

            1. Section 54: Offence of immobilising etc. vehicles

            2. Section 55: Extension of powers to remove vehicles from land

            3. Section 56: Recovery of unpaid parking charges

         3. Schedule 4: Recovery of unpaid parking charges

      4. Part 4: Counter-terrorism powers

         1. Section 57: Maximum detention period of 14 days

         2. Section 58:  Emergency power for temporary extension and review of extensions

         3. Section 59: Repeal of existing stop and search powers

         4. Section 60: Replacement powers to stop and search persons and vehicles

         5. Section 61: Replacement powers to stop and search in specified locations

         6. Schedule 5: Replacement powers to stop and search: Supplementary Provisions

         7. Section 62: Code of Practice

         8. Section 63: Stop and search powers in relation to Northern Ireland

         9. Schedule 6: Stop and search powers: Northern Ireland

      5. Part 5: Safeguarding vulnerable groups, criminal records etc.

         1. Chapter 1: Safeguarding of vulnerable groups

            1. Section 64: Restriction of scope of regulated activities: children

            2. Section 65: Restriction of definition of vulnerable adults

            3. Section 66: Restriction of scope of regulated activities: vulnerable adults

            4. Section 67: Alteration of test for barring decisions

            5. Section 68: Abolition of controlled activity

            6. Section 69: Abolition of monitoring

            7. Section 70: Information for purposes of making barring decisions

            8. Section 71: Review of barring decisions

            9. Section 72: Information about barring decisions

            10. Section 73: Duty to check whether person barred

            11. Section 74: Restrictions on duplication with Scottish and Northern Ireland barred lists

            12. Section 75: Professional bodies

            13. Section 76: Supervisory authorities

            14. Section 77: Minor amendments

            15. Section 78: Corresponding amendments in relation to Northern Ireland

            16. Schedule 7: Safeguarding of vulnerable groups: Northern Ireland

         2. Chapter 2 of Part 5: Criminal Records

            1. Section 79: Restriction on information provided to certain persons

            2. Section 80: Minimum age for applicants for certificates or to be registered

            3. Section 81: Additional grounds for refusing an application to be registered

            4. Section 82: Enhanced criminal record certificates: additional safeguards

            5. Section 83: Up-dating certificates

            6. Section 84: Criminal conviction certificates: conditional cautions

            7. Section 85: Inclusion of cautions etc. in national police records

            8. Section 86: Out of date references to certificates of criminal records

         3. Chapter 3 of Part 5: The Disclosure and Barring Service

            1. Section 87: Formation and constitution of DBS

            2. Schedule 8: Disclosure and Barring Service

            3. Section 88: Transfer of functions to DBS and dissolution of ISA

            4. Section 89: Orders under section 88

            5. Section 90: Transfer schemes in connection with orders under section 88

            6. Section 91: Tax in connection with transfer schemes

         4. Chapter 4 of Part 5: Disregarding certain convictions for buggery etc.

            1. Section 92: Power of Secretary of State to disregard convictions or cautions

            2. Section 93: Applications to the Secretary of State

            3. Section 94: Procedure for decisions by the Secretary of State

            4. Section 95: Effect of disregard on police and other records

            5. Section 96: Effect of disregard for disclosure and other purposes

            6. Section 97: Saving for Royal pardons etc.

            7. Section 98: Section 96: supplementary

            8. Section 99: Appeal against refusal to disregard convictions or cautions

            9. Section 100: Advisers

            10. Section 101: Interpretation: Chapter 4

      6. Part 6: Freedom of information and data protection

         1. Section 102: Release and publication of datasets held by public authorities

         2. Section 103: Meaning of “publicly-owned company”

         3. Section 104: Extension of certain provisions to Northern Ireland bodies

         4. Section 105: Appointment and tenure of Information Commissioner

         5. Section 106: Alteration of role of Secretary of State in relation to guidance powers

         6. Section 107: Removal of Secretary of State consent for fee-charging powers etc.

         7. Section 108: Removal of Secretary of State approval for staff numbers, terms etc.

      7. Part 7: Miscellaneous and general

         1. Section 109: Trafficking people for sexual exploitation

         2. Section 110: Trafficking people for labour or other exploitation

         3. Section 111: Offences in relation to stalking

         4. Section 112: Power of entry in relation to stalking

         5. Section 113: Repeal of provisions for conducting certain fraud cases without jury

         6. Section 114: Removal of restrictions on times for marriage or civil partnership

         7. Section 115: Consequential amendments, repeals and revocations

         8. Schedule 9: Consequential amendments

            1. Part 1: Destruction, retention and use of fingerprints and samples etc.

            2. Part 3: Safeguards for certain surveillance under RIPA

            3. Part 4: Vehicles left on land

            4. Part 7: Criminal records

         9. Section 116: Transitional, transitory or saving provision

         10. Section 118: Channel Islands and Isle of Man

         11. Section 119: Extent

         12. Section 120: Commencement

6. Commencement

7. Hansard References

8. ANNEX A GLOSSARY

9. ANNEX B