News

UK: Home Office publishes Codes for: Covert Surveillance and Covert Human Intelligence Sources

On 2 August the Home Office published two new Codes of practice under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. The first, "Covert Surveillance", covers "directed surveillance" (eg: placing a listening device outside a house/office)
On 2 August the Home Office published two new Codes of practice under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. The first, "Covert Surveillance", covers "directed surveillance" (eg: placing a listening device outside a house/office)
On 2 August the Home Office published two new Codes of practice under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. The first, “Covert Surveillance”, covers “directed surveillance” (eg: placing a listening device outside a house/office) and “instrusive surveillance” (eg: placing a listening device or camera inside a house/office). The second, “Covert Human Intelligence Sources”, covers willing and unwilling (coerced) informants, agent-provocateurs and undercover officers or agents). To access the text on the Home Office site: Covert Surveillance (link) To access the text on the Home Office site: Covert Human Intelligence Sources (link) To access both as one html file: Reports (thanks to Cryptome) Background Government forced to withdraw surveillance plans Analysis of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill The full-text of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act: RIPA (link) ——————————————————————————– Below are listed the Contents of each of the new Codes with links for each section: OVERT SURVEILLANCE CODE OF PRACTICE Pursuant to Section 71 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 Commencement This code applies to every authorisation of covert surveillance or of entry on or interference with property or with wireless telegraphy carried out under section 5 of the Intelligence Services Act 1994, Part III of the Police Act 1997 or Part II of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 by public authorities which begins on or after the day on which this code comes into effect. CONTENTS Chapter 1: BACKGROUND General extent of powers Use of material in evidence Directed surveillance, intrusive surveillance and entry on or interference with property or with wireless telegraphy Chapter 2: GENERAL RULES ON AUTHORISATIONS Necessity and proportionality Collateral intrusion Combined authorisations Central record of all authorisations Retention and destruction of the product The Intelligence Services, MOD and HM Forces Chapter 3: SPECIAL RULES ON AUTHORISATIONS Communications subject to legal privilege Communications involving confidential personal information and confidential journalistic material Chapter 4: AUTHORISATION PROCEDURES FOR DIRECTED SURVEILLANCE Authorisation Procedures Information to be provided in applications for authorisation Duration of authorisations Reviews Renewals Cancellations Ceasing of surveillance activity ADDITIONAL RULES Recording of telephone conversations Chapter 5: AUTHORISATION PROCEDURES FOR INTRUSIVE SURVEILLANCE Authorisations Procedures for Police, National Criminal Intelligence Service, the National Crime Squad and HM Customs and Excise Information to be provided in applications for authorisation Approval of Surveillance Commissioners Notifications to Surveillance Commissioners Authorisations Procedures for Secretary of State All intrusive surveillance authorisations Duration of Authorisations Renewals Reviews Cancellations Ceas