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Scottish Biometrics Commissioner Act 2020

  • Explanatory Notes Table of contents

Please note:

All reference to 'Parts' and 'sections' are from the Scottish Biometrics Commissioner Act 2020. For other versions of these Explanatory Notes, see More Resources.

  1. Introduction

  2. Summary

  3. Commentary on Sections

    1. Establishment

      1. Section 1: Scottish Biometrics Commissioner

    2. Functions

      1. Section 2: Functions

      2. Section 3: Power to work with others

      3. Section 4: General powers

      4. Section 5: Duty to comply with directions

      5. Section 6: Report on the Commissioner’s functions

    3. Code of practice

      1. Section 7: Code of practice

      2. Section 8: Key considerations in preparing the code

      3. Section 9: Effect of the code

      4. Section 10: Consultation on the code

      5. Section 11: Further procedure in relation to the first code

      6. Section 12: Approval of the code

      7. Section 13: Bringing the code into effect

      8. Section 14: Report on the code

      9. Section 15: Complaints procedure

    4. Information-gathering

      1. Section 16: Power to gather information

      2. Section 17: Failure to comply with an information notice

      3. Section 18: Admissibility of statements in criminal proceedings

      4. Section 19: Offence of Commissioner’s office disclosing confidential information

    5. Reporting

      1. Section 20: Reports and recommendations

      2. Section 21: Requirement to respond to reports

      3. Section 22: Publication of responses to reports

    6. Compliance notices

      1. Section 23: Compliance notices

      2. Section 24: Content and form of a compliance notice

      3. Section 25: Variation of a compliance notice

      4. Section 26: Revocation of a compliance notice

      5. Section 27: Failure to comply with a compliance notice

    7. Accountability

      1. Section 28: Strategic plans

      2. Section 29: Budgets

      3. Section 30: Accountable officer

      4. Section 31: Accounts and audit

      5. Section 32: Annual Report

      6. Section 33: Advisory Group

    8. Meaning of key terms

      1. Section 34: Meaning of “biometric data”

      2. Section 35: Power to change meaning of “biometric data”

      3. Section 36: Interpretation

    9. Final provisions

      1. Section 37: Regulations

      2. Section 38: Ancillary provision

      3. Section 39: Application of public authorities legislation

      4. Section 40: Commencement

      5. Section 41: Short title

    10. Schedule 1 – The office of Scottish Biometrics Commissioner

    11. Schedule 2 – Application of public authorities legislation

      1. Scottish Public Services Ombudsman Act 2002

      2. Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

      3. Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010

      4. Public Records (Scotland) Act 2011

      5. Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014

  4. Parliamentary History

  • Explanatory Notes Table of contents

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Explanatory Notes

Text created by the Scottish Government to explain what the Act sets out to achieve and to make the Act accessible to readers who are not legally qualified. Explanatory Notes were introduced in 1999 and accompany all Acts of the Scottish Parliament except those which result from Budget Bills.

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