Review into Harborough and Lutterworth CCTV cameras after concerns they were made by company with links to Chinese government

A review is being conducted into Harborough and Lutterworth CCTV cameras after concerns they were being produced by a company with links to the Chinese government.

Harborough District Council’s cameras are made by Hikvision, a company which is banned in the United States, on UK government sites and has been removed from the likes of Tesco and Co-op stores amid ethical and security concerns. Kent County Council also recently revealed plans to phase out their use.

Local councillor Simon Whelband has raised concerns about use of the cameras in Harborough and Lutterworth, and called for them to be replaced.

He says a 2021 report by the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee said equipment manufactured by companies such as Hikvision should not be permitted to operate within the UK.

Hikvision has also faced allegations of its products being used in the repression of Muslim minorities in China’s Xinjiang province.

Cllr Whelband told the Mail: “I have written to the council’s chief executive about their use of Hikvision cameras urging them to replace the technology as soon as possible.

“Hikvision is one of several companies that have been linked to the creation of a surveillance state in Tibet. Their cameras have also been used in Uyghur internment camps in Xinjiang.

“There are also security concerns. The US government has banned the use of Hikvision cameras, and the UK government is advising against their use, so they shouldn’t be used in our district. Several councils have replaced their Hikvision cameras, most notably Kent County Council which announced that they would get rid of their Hikvision cameras earlier this year. It’s time for Harborough District Council to do the same.”

Harborough District Council says it will now be looking into its use of the cameras.

A spokesman said: “The council takes all matters of security and of an ethical nature seriously. We will conduct a review of our use of Hikvision cameras and will liaise with our supplier, other councils and appropriate bodies to consider and inform our approach.”