Departmental Surveillance

Defence written question – answered at on 6 October 2008.

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Photo of James Duddridge James Duddridge Opposition Whip (Commons)

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many applications (a) his Department and (b) its agencies have made under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 to (i) undertake directed surveillance, (ii) use covert human intelligence sources, (iii) acquire communications data and (iv) undertake intrusive surveillance in the last 24 months.

Photo of Bob Ainsworth Bob Ainsworth The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence

The Ministry of Defence does undertake operations involving powers described and governed by the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 ('RIPA'). RIPA provides that oversight of the use of these controlled powers is by regular inspection and publication of annual public reports by independent Commissioners and it is a matter for the Commissioners what details they disclose.

Figures on public authority use of covert techniques controlled by the RIPA are published annually by the Interception of Communications Commissioner, the Chief Surveillance Commissioner and the Intelligence Services Commissioner who each have particular inspection and oversight responsibilities under RIPA. The latest reports were laid before Parliament and copies placed in the House Library on 22 July. The figures provided in the reports are not broken down by individual public authority use of specific covert techniques as, depending on the particular technique and authority using it, this could either reveal sensitivities or be misleading. The question of further disclosure for any particular public authority is a matter for the relevant Commissioner.

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