Body scanners at UK airports may be unlawful, the Equality and Human Rights Commission has warned.The scanners, which are already in place at Heathrow and Manchester Airports, could also break discrimination laws as well as breaching passengers' rights to privacy, the commission said.
It has now expressed its concerns in a letter to Transport Secretary Lord Adonis. In the letter, the commission said it recognised the threat posed by terrorist activities. But it went on to say it had concerns "about the apparent absence of safeguards to ensure the body scanners are operated in a lawful, fair and non-discriminatory manner". It added that it also had "serious doubts that the decision to roll this (body scanning) out in all UK airports complies with the law".
"The right to life is the ultimate human right and we support the Government's review of security policies," the commission's chairman Trevor Phillips said. "State action like border checks, stop-and-search and full body scanning are undertaken for good reasons. "But, without proper care, such policies can end up being applied in ways which do discriminate against vulnerable groups or harm good community relations."
The Department for Transport said it was committed to making sure all security measures were used in a way which is "legal, proportionate and non-discriminatory". A spokesperson added: "That is why we have been absolutely clear that those passengers who are randomly selected for screening will not be chosen because of any personal characteristics, and why we have published an interim code of practice which addresses privacy concerns in relation to body scanners. (Sky News)
