Investigatory Powers Bill, Report Stage, day 2, House of Lords

We welcome and support new clauses and amendments tabled by the government, which:

• Require retention notices under Part 4 to be approved by a Judicial Commissioner (Amendments 117,119,120-125,127-129).
• Require the annual report of the Investigatory Powers Commissioner (IPC) to include information about:
• the operation of safeguards in relation to items subject to legal privilege, confidential journalistic material and sources of journalistic information (Amendment 141).
• the work of the Technology Advisory Panel (Amendment 143).
• Provide for the establishment of a Technology Advisory Panel (Amendments 178 and 179).

There are however further improvements that we consider should be made to the Bill. We recommend supporting amendments to introduce additional safeguards in the following areas:

• To require a Judicial Commissioner to approve authorisations to obtain communications data likely to relate to legally privileged communications (Amendment 107).
• To require the IPC’s annual report to include information about the use of thematic warrants (as well as certain other information) (Amendment 142).

Download the full briefing: Investigatory Powers Bill, Report Stage, day 2, House of Lords (Word)