About RIPA
See other news storiesHome Secretary outlines review of RIPA
17 April 2009
The Home Secretary has announced plans to stop investigatory powers being used under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) for trivial purposes.
The plans include a review of which public authorities can use them and proposals to raise the level of authorisation to sign them off in local authorities.
Public consultation
The review of RIPA launched on 17 April invites views on:
- which public authorities should be able to authorise key investigatory techniques, such as the use of communications data or covert surveillance in public places, under RIPA
- the purposes for which these investigatory techniques should be used
- the option of raising the rank of the local authority employee authorising the use of investigatory techniques to senior executive
- whether elected councillors should also play a role in the authorisation.
The consultation includes draft Codes of Practice. These codes will replace the existing Codes of Practice on Covert Surveillance and Covert Human Intelligence Sources.
The consultation also includes details about all the public authorities able to use certain techniques under RIPA, including the ranks at which those techniques can be authorised and the purposes for which they can be used.
Statement from the Home Secretary
Jacqui Smith said, 'Our country has a proud tradition of individual freedom. This involves freedom from unjustified interference by the State. But it also includes freedom from interference by those who would do us harm.
'The government is responsible for protecting both types of freedom. In order to do this, we must ensure that the police and other public authorities have the powers they need. But we must also ensure that those powers are not used inappropriately or excessively.
'The government has absolutely no interest in spying on law-abiding people going about their everyday lives. I don't want to see these powers being used to target people for putting their bins out on the wrong day or for dog fouling offences.
'I also want to make sure that there is proper oversight of the use of these powers which is why I am considering creating a role for elected councillors in overseeing the way in which local authorities use RIPA techniques.'
Further information
Public consultation - Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000: Consolidating orders and codes of practice (new window)
