Facial recognition technology takes two main forms. The first compares an image of an unknown person (for example caught on CCTV committing a crime, reviewed after the event) against a database of facial images of people who have been arrested. All police forces use the Police National Database facial search facility.
The second form is live facial recognition (LFR), which compares images of passers-by taken from live cameras with images on a watch list (a database of suspects). Possible matches produced by LFR systems are always checked by a human operator before deciding what, if any, action to take. The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and South Wales Police (SWP) are piloting LFR. The pilots are important to test this technology, which has the potential to improve public safety. SWP have been carrying out trials since May 2017. MPS completed a series of ten pilots in February 2019.<\/p>
Both forces have commissioned independent evaluations of their trials. Cardiff University has published its evaluation of South Wales Police\u2019s trials between May 2017 and March 2018. Essex University will shortly be publishing their review of the Metropolitan Police Service\u2019s trials. MPS will consider next steps in the light of this review. The Law Enforcement Facial Images and New Biometric Modalities Oversight and Advisory Board oversees the police use of LFR, the retention of custody images, and emerging new biometrics. The Board\u2019s minutes are published on GOV.UK<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1561", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Nick Hurd"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Nick Hurd"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-11T13:32:55.463Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Police: Biometrics"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which police forces are currently trialling face recognition technology.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4603", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Preet Kaur Gill"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birmingham, Edgbaston"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Preet Kaur Gill"} ], "uin" : "259382"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1128908", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1128908/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Nothing is more important than keeping the public safe and the Government recognise the vital role firefighters continue to play in protecting communities. All fire and rescue services have a capability to fight high rise fires. Regular engagement takes place with the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) which represents the fire and rescue sector to Government.<\/p>
They are also required to have integrated risk management plans, which target resources to best protect their communities. Fire & Rescue Authorities have a statutory requirement to have mutual assistance arrangements in place to provide additional support in the event of a major incident occurring. This is augmented by Home Office supported national resilience capabilities.<\/p>
Fire and rescue services have the resources they need to do their important work and will receive around £2.3 billion in 2019/20. Single purpose fire and rescue authorities will see an increase in core spending power of 2.3% in cash terms in 2019/20 and an overall increase of 0.3% from 2015/16 to 2019/20.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1561", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Nick Hurd"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Nick Hurd"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "259446"} , {"_value" : "259447"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-10T15:31:33.627Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "High Rise Flats: Fires"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment he has made of regional disparities in the preparedness of fire services to respond to high-rise fires.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4664", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Karen Lee"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lincoln"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Karen Lee"} ], "uin" : "259444"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1128910", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1128910/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Decisions on crewing and attendance at incidents are for each Chief Fire Officer as part of their Integrated risk management plan, although Government has specifically asked Fire & Rescue Authorities to include the risk of high rise fires in their planning.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1561", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Nick Hurd"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Nick Hurd"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-10T15:28:04.107Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "High Rise Flats: Fires"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to implement national standards for the pre-determined attendance of firefighters and fire engines for fires in high-rise blocks.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4664", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Karen Lee"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lincoln"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Karen Lee"} ], "uin" : "259445"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1128911", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1128911/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Nothing is more important than keeping the public safe and the Government recognise the vital role firefighters continue to play in protecting communities. All fire and rescue services have a capability to fight high rise fires. Regular engagement takes place with the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) which represents the fire and rescue sector to Government.<\/p>
They are also required to have integrated risk management plans, which target resources to best protect their communities. Fire & Rescue Authorities have a statutory requirement to have mutual assistance arrangements in place to provide additional support in the event of a major incident occurring. This is augmented by Home Office supported national resilience capabilities.<\/p>
Fire and rescue services have the resources they need to do their important work and will receive around £2.3 billion in 2019/20. Single purpose fire and rescue authorities will see an increase in core spending power of 2.3% in cash terms in 2019/20 and an overall increase of 0.3% from 2015/16 to 2019/20.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1561", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Nick Hurd"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Nick Hurd"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "259444"} , {"_value" : "259447"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-10T15:31:33.673Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "High Rise Flats: Fires"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many fire and rescue services outside of London he has had discussions with on their preparedness for tackling high-rise fires.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4664", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Karen Lee"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lincoln"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Karen Lee"} ], "uin" : "259446"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1128912", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1128912/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Nothing is more important than keeping the public safe and the Government recognise the vital role firefighters continue to play in protecting communities. All fire and rescue services have a capability to fight high rise fires. Regular engagement takes place with the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) which represents the fire and rescue sector to Government.<\/p>
They are also required to have integrated risk management plans, which target resources to best protect their communities. Fire & Rescue Authorities have a statutory requirement to have mutual assistance arrangements in place to provide additional support in the event of a major incident occurring. This is augmented by Home Office supported national resilience capabilities.<\/p>
Fire and rescue services have the resources they need to do their important work and will receive around £2.3 billion in 2019/20. Single purpose fire and rescue authorities will see an increase in core spending power of 2.3% in cash terms in 2019/20 and an overall increase of 0.3% from 2015/16 to 2019/20.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1561", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Nick Hurd"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Nick Hurd"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "259444"} , {"_value" : "259446"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-10T15:31:33.72Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "High Rise Flats: Fires"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the effect of the 15 per cent reduction in central government funding for English fire services over the period 2016-17 to 2019-20 on the ability of those services to respond to high-rise fires.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4664", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Karen Lee"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lincoln"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Karen Lee"} ], "uin" : "259447"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1128923", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1128923/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "