Statutory licensing, data protection and 'What Price Privacy' Update
12 September 2007
On 12th September 2007 Field Fisher Waterhouse in conjunction
with the Association of British Investigators will be holding a
free seminar for private investigators, to update them on the new
statutory licensing framework, the proposed amendments to the Data
Protection Act and "What Price Privacy".
In August this year the Home Office published a partial
Regulatory Impact Assessment ("RIA") on the statutory licensing
regime for private investigators under the Private Security
Industry Act 2001. When introduced this regime will require
most UK private investigators to obtain a licence from the Security
Industry Authority.
We will provide an overview of the RIA and the key elements of
the statutory licensing framework, including the requirements for
training and examinations.
In June this year the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill was
introduced in Parliament. Section 75 of the Bill contains an
amendment to the Data Protection Act, to bring in custodial
penalties (gaol sentences) for those who are convicted of "data
theft" in breach of section 55 of the DPA.
We will provide an overview of section 75 of the Bill,
explaining how it will impact on the work of private
investigators. We will also look at section 55 itself and how
offences can be committed and avoided.
The amendment to the Data Protection Act results from the
Information Commissioner's "What Price Privacy" campaign to outlaw
the trade in stolen personal data. "What Price Privacy" has
already had a massive impact on private investigators, which we
will review. We will also examine the impact of recent cases
such as the Fiona Trust litigation in which litigants used the
rules of civil procedure to try and uncover details of private
investigators who were hired to investigate them for the purposes
of litigation.
Speakers will include Richard Newman, President of the
Association of British Investigators, Stewart Room, partner
in Field Fisher Waterhouse's Privacy and Information Law Group and
members of the Information Commissioner's regulatory investigations
team.
This is a free seminar and places are limited. To book a
place please email
Caroline Fleming.