Shock ! Blunkett guarantees wider traffic powers STRICTLY for anti-terrorist use !

[Caspar Bowden]

Blankett says in the article below (Tribune 26/10/2001):

"....STRICTLY in the case of a criminal investigation against suspected
TERRORISTS =96 to have access to more information than we have at =
present.
That is why we are working with companies on a code of practice with the
result that they will keep billing records for longer than at present,
to allow access in relation to anti-terrorist activity."

A stunning development. Now we know exactly what to say in the the
response to the Pt.1.Ch.2 CoP consultation.

RIP must be amended to say that data collected for anti-terrorist
purposes (say under a SI 2093 S.32 exemption), can only be obtained and
used for anti-terrorist purposes.

Just amending the CoP will not do, because breaking a CoP is not
illegal, so that wouldn't qualify as STRICT in anyone's lexicon, not
even the Home Office's surely ?

And no-one on this list would imagine that these are just empty words,
and the Home Office was not intending to alter the statutory or CoP
position one jot ?

So it must be a change of policy, because the relevant Home Office
official told me the day after Blankett's speech that data collected
under the nat.sec exemption WOULD be obtainable for the full range of
Pt.I Ch.II purposes.

Phew! Lucky to spot that just in time for the consultation deadline THIS
FRIDAY. Here's those URLs again:

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/ripa/consultintro.htm
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/ripa/pcdcpc.htm
mailto:RIPA.Pt1Ch2.draftcode.responses@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

--
Caspar =
Bowden=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0=A0 www.fipr.org
Director, Foundation for Information Policy Research
Tel: +44(0)20 7354 2333=20

Tribune 26/10/2001: "Democracy must be vigorously defended"
http://www.tribune.atfreeweb.com/blunkett26102001.htm=20
Democracy must be vigorously defended

David Blunkett

...

There is another area of proposed change which I can understand raises
concerns; namely our work with telecommunications companies to ensure
retention of records and access by law enforcement agencies to them.

Our measures will not give the police or anyone else the power to read
e-mails or routinely monitor phone calls or e-mails between individuals.


However, we do need =96 strictly in the case of a criminal investigation
against suspected terrorists =96 to have access to more information than
we have at present.=20

That is why we are working with companies on a code of practice with the
result that they will keep billing records for longer than at present,
to allow access in relation to anti-terrorist activity.

... =20



=20