Section 1 — Conduct to which this Act applies

Part of Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3 – in the Scottish Parliament at 9:45 am on 7 September 2000.

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Photo of Ben Wallace Ben Wallace Conservative 9:45, 7 September 2000

The problem is that sources are, by their very nature—the fact that they have a relationship with the person, perhaps a workmate rather than a neighbour, on whom they inform—covert. Section 1(7)(b) says that a person is a covert human intelligence source if the person

"covertly uses such a relationship to obtain information or to provide access to any information".

The relationship—being in business with someone or working with them—is being used. My initial amendment, which was changed slightly by the committee clerks, simply used the word "directed", because using a relationship in a directed manner is key to what I mean when I talk about covert intelligence.