Scotland ‘one of world CCTV capitals’

Scotland has been branded one of the most “surveillance-heavy” countries in the world after the number of public spy cameras doubled in recent years.

Councils and police forces shelled out more than £8 million between them to maintain the costly cameras last year alone.

There are now more than 3,000 public CCTV cameras and mobile camera vans across Scotland, with hundreds of staff employed to monitor them, according to figures obtained by The Scotsman through Freedom of Information.

Opposition parties are now calling for a “code of conduct” to be introduced to control their spread.

Campaigners insist there is no evidence that the cameras help cut crime, but the Scottish Government insist they play an “important role” in making the streets safer.

The bill reached £8.2m for staffing and maintenance of Scotland’s network of CCTV cameras in 2010-11, as well as the cost of new ones. This is up by almost £100,000 on the previous year.

There are now 3,115 cameras across the country, an increase of 250 on the previous year according to the figures. The size of the network has soared since 2003 when there were 1,269.

Green Party leader Patrick Harvie said: “Like the rest of the UK, Scotland is one of the most surveillance-heavy parts of the world.

“There has often been an automatic assumption that more cameras will mean more public safety. The facts simply don’t back this up.”

A Scottish Government study two years ago into the impact of CCTV on public order found there was “little evidence” to suggest they are a deterrent on crime.

Glasgow has the biggest CCTV camera network in Scotland with 450, while there are 395 in West Dunbartonshire and 232 in Edinburgh.

The highest cost is also in Glasgow, with an annual bill of £1.3m, while in East Ayrshire the cost is £1.07m and in Edinburgh it is £857,000.

The number of staff who monitor the cameras has also jumped, to 267 from 205 two years ago.

Liberal Democrat justice spokeswoman Alison McInnes said CCTV networks do help to fight crime. But she added: “Increasingly, however, we live in a society where CCTV cameras are the norm on every street corner, recording members of the public and their every move.”

The Lib Dems now want a code of conduct introduced for public authorities so that cameras are “effective without being too intrusive”.

Ms McInnes added: “The authorities must realise Scottish citizens do not want to live in a society similar to the Big Brother house.”

But a Scottish Government spokesman said: “CCTV has played an important role in making our streets safer, tackling crime and antisocial behaviour and reducing the fear of crime as part of a wider package of measures delivered locally and in partnership with community safety stakeholders.”