Striking the Right Balance between Privacy and Public Protect ion

[Ian G Batten]

On Wed, 23 Oct 2002, Watkin Simon wrote:
> If I now post the document to the list now, you will tell me I've just
> written it!

No, I'm not that paranoid.  I might question if the draft was what would
have been presented for approval had the first part passed quietly, but
I'm not that paranoid either.  Any massive conspiracy requires that the
Home Office have realised how contentious the original instrument would
have be, and there's no evidence they did, so anything which smacks of
preparatory scaffolding for spinning is unlikely to have happened.

I'll happily accept that what you quote as the draft of record was the
draft of record (if that's not a contradiction in terms).

> You could ask your MP to find for you from the House Library a copy of the
> Explanatory Memorandum for the Regulation of Investigation Powers
> (Communications Data: Additional Public Authorities) Order 2002 and its
> attachment.  Your MP was sent a copy too (in mid May).  It includes the

I have done so, in mail to Lynne Jones that has just been sent.
However, it would short-circuit things were you to post the highlights,
or make it available on a website somewhere.

> > Either he
> > was very badly advised,
> 
> Or was not reassured by the advice he was being given.

A nice distinction, and one I accept wholeheartedly: the Home Secretary
may not have regarded the people who got him in the mess initially as
being best qualified to get him out, and a tactical retreat was his best
option.  My apologies for the false dichotomy.

ian