Fife Council reveals how often officers have spied on individuals

Members of the Standards and Audit committee heard that 12 requests were made to carry out to carry out surveillance in 2019. Only one was made this year due to staff being diverted to other duties to deal with the pandemic.

Trading Standards staff were responsible for all 13 requests – of which two were refused.

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Each took the form of online surveillance of individuals suspected of trading in counterfeit goods, unsafe products and "misleading health claims".

Local authorities are permitted to carry out surveillance of members of the public by the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000 for the purposes of preventing crime or disorder or protecting public safety or health.

Morag Ferguson, who is responsible for approving requests to carry out surveillance, told the committee meeting she did not know how many surveillance activities led to prosecutions.

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