The Joint Committee on Human Rights has published a report on the contact tracing app, concluding that if effective, the app could pave the way out of the current lockdown restrictions and help prevent the spread of coronavirus, but there are significant concerns regarding surveillance and the impact on other human rights which must be addressed first.
Last month the Committee launched their inquiry into the Government’s response to Covid-19: human rights implications. Following this, the Committee has produced a Reportthat outlines the key actions the Government must take to ensure that the app respects human rights including the right to privacy and non-discrimination at the same time as enabling individuals to move around more freely whilst helping to prevent the spread of the virus.
The Chair of the Committee, Harriet Harman MP, said: “Assurances from Ministers about privacy are not enough. The Government has given assurances about protection of privacy so they should have no objection to those assurances being enshrined in law."
"The contact tracing app involves unprecedented data gathering. There must be robust legal protection for individuals about what that data will be used for, who will have access to it and how it will be safeguarded from hacking. Parliament was able quickly to agree to give the Government sweeping powers. It is perfectly possible for parliament to do the same for legislation to protect privacy.”
Source: www.parliament.uk, 7 May 2020
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