Commissioner welcomes appointment of an interim Biometrics Commissioner for England and Wales
The Scottish Biometrics Commissioner Dr Brian Plastow has today welcomed the appointment of Francesca Whitelaw KC as the interim Biometrics Commissioner for England and Wales. The role of the Biometrics Commissioner for England and Wales has been vacant since August 2024, and the interim appointment from July until the end of 2025 will enable legal functions to be discharged. The Commissioner for England and Wales also has an important wider UK role in reviewing circumstances where the police, including Police Scotland, retain fingerprints and DNA as part of a UK National Security Determination. The SBC Dr Brian Plastow has today welcomed the interim appointment noting that it closes a 10-month gap in independent oversight.