Chamber and committees

There is no single and specific retention period for road traffic offence data held by Police Scotland. Retention depends on the type of offence and the policing purpose. Police Scotland applies their formal Records Retention Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), with crime and offence records retained according to risk-based retention rules.

The Scottish Government remains committed to a public health approach to reducing drug-related harms and deaths. Our approach is set out in Preventing Harm, Promoting Recovery: Scotland's Alcohol & Drugs Strategic Plan 2026-2035, which brings together prevention, harm reduction, treatment, rehabilitation and recovery support. The use of any Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) premises including fire stations is an operational matter for the SFRS.

Equally Safe, Scotland’s strategy for preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls (VAWG), recognises that technology can be used to directly track, monitor, and facilitate violence against women and girls. While Equally Safe does not refer specifically to Automatic Number Plate Recognition, it acknowledges the wider risks associated with the misuse of technology and recognises that action to address VAWG must take account of these evolving risks.

Equally Safe, Scotland’s strategy for preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls (VAWG), recognises that technology can be used to directly track, monitor, and facilitate violence against women and girls. While Equally Safe does not refer specifically to Automatic Number Plate Recognition, it acknowledges the wider risks associated with the misuse of technology and recognises that action to address VAWG must take account of these evolving risks.

The deployment of resources is a matter for the Chief Constable based on operational priorities. This is also very clearly set out in the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012.

The consideration to use data acquired by Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology in combination with facial recognition and other biometric technologies would be an operational matter for Police Scotland, under the scrutiny of the Scottish Police Authority.

There is no single and specific retention period for road traffic offence data held by Police Scotland. Retention depends on the type of offence and the policing purpose. Police Scotland applies their formal Records Retention Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), with crime and offence records retained according to risk-based retention rules.

The deployment of resources is a matter for the Chief Constable based on operational priorities.

Any assessment made for the potential for Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology (ANPR) to be combined with biometric enabled technology and/or artificial intelligence would be an operational matter for the owner of such technology.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information .

The Scottish Government does not hold this information.