Protection of Freedoms Act 2012

Long title

To provide for the destruction, retention, use and other regulation of certain evidential material; to impose consent and other requirements in relation to certain processing of biometric information relating to children; to provide for a code of practice about surveillance camera systems and for the appointment and role of the Surveillance Camera Commissioner; to provide for judicial approval in relation to certain authorisations and notices under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000; to provide for the repeal or rewriting of powers of entry and associated powers and for codes of practice and other safeguards in relation to such powers; to make provision about vehicles left on land; to provide for a maximum detention period of 14 days for terrorist suspects; to replace certain stop and search powers and to provide for a related code of practice; to amend the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006; to make provision about criminal records; to disregard convictions and cautions for certain abolished offences; to make provision about the release and publication of datasets held by public authorities and to make other provision about freedom of information and the Information Commissioner; to repeal certain enactments; and for connected purposes.

Summary

<p>The Bill includes a wide range of measures.</p><p><strong>Key areas</strong></p><ul><li>brings in a new framework for police retention of fingerprints and DNA data, and requires schools to get parents&rsquo; consent before processing children&rsquo;s biometric information</li><li>introduces a code of practice for surveillance camera systems and provides for judicial approval of certain surveillance activities by local authorities</li><li>provides for a code of practice to cover officials&rsquo; powers of entry, with these powers being subject to review and repeal</li><li>outlaws wheel-clamping on private land</li><li>introduces a new regime for police stops and searches under the Terrorism Act 2000 and reduces the maximum pre-charge detention period under that Act from 28 to 14 days</li><li>restricts the scope of the 'vetting and barring' scheme for protecting vulnerable groups and makes changes to the system of criminal records checks</li><li>enables those with convictions for consensual sexual relations between men aged 16 or over (which have since been decriminalised) to apply to have them disregarded</li><li>extends Freedom of Information rights by requiring datasets to be available in a re-usable format</li><li>repeals provisions (never brought into force) which would have allowed trial without a jury in complex fraud cases</li><li>removes time restrictions on when marriage or civil partnership ceremonies may take place.</li></ul>

Progress through Parliament

1. 1st reading· Commons

   11 February 2011 – 11 February 2011

2. 2nd reading· Commons

   1 March 2011 – 1 March 2011

3. Programme motion· Commons

   1 March 2011 – 1 March 2011

4. Money resolution· Commons

   1 March 2011 – 1 March 2011

5. Programme motion· Commons

   16 March 2011 – 16 March 2011

6. Committee stage· Commons

   22 March 2011 – 17 May 2011

7. Programme motion· Commons

   10 October 2011 – 10 October 2011

8. Ways and Means resolution· Commons

   10 October 2011 – 10 October 2011

9. Report stage· Commons

   10 October 2011 – 11 October 2011

10. 3rd reading· Commons

    11 October 2011 – 11 October 2011

11. 1st reading· Lords

    12 October 2011 – 12 October 2011

12. 2nd reading· Lords

    8 November 2011 – 8 November 2011

13. Committee stage· Lords

    29 November 2011 – 6 December 2011

14. Committee stage· Lords

    13 December 2011 – 12 January 2012

15. Report stage· Lords

    31 January 2012 – 15 February 2012

16. 3rd reading· Lords

    12 March 2012 – 12 March 2012

17. Programme motion· Commons

    19 March 2012 – 19 March 2012

18. Consideration of Lords amendments· Commons

    19 March 2012 – 19 March 2012

19. Consideration of Commons amendments and / or reasons· Lords

    24 April 2012 – 24 April 2012

20. Royal Assent· Unassigned

    1 May 2012 – 1 May 2012