Use Of Powers Under The Regulation Of Investigatory Powers Act 2000

EDM number 1731 in 2007-08, proposed by Anne Main on 10/06/2008.
Categorised under the topics of Data protection, Human rights, Local government and Privacy.

That this House expresses concern at reports concerning the expansion of the powers introduced in the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, and the recent extension to the list of organisations permitted to use these powers from nine to 792, including 474 councils, allowing hundreds of Government and local government agencies access to communications data; further notes the provisions of the Act that a warrant is only applicable in the interests of national security, for the purpose of preventing or detecting serious crime, for the purpose of safeguarding the economic well-being of the United Kingdom, or for the purpose of giving effect to the provisions of any international mutual assistance agreement; further notes recent reports that 152 of the largest councils in the UK used the Act to examine 936 people's private communications data in the 2006-07 financial year; believes that the powers of the Act are being expanded beyond its intended scope; and asks the Government to conduct an immediate review of the extension of organisations permitted to use the powers outlined in the Act.

This motion has been signed by a total of 24 MPs.