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UK Parliament

Committee hears from law enforcement agencies, parliamentarians and legal experts

16 December 2015

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In the first of three panels, the Joint Committee on the Draft Investigatory Powers Bill looks at some of the operational challenges that law enforcement agencies are seeking to be addressed in the draft Bill. The second session focuses more on the political aspects of the Bill, and the final session with legal experts examines all the legal issues that are raised by the Bill. 

Witnesses

Wednesday 16 December in Committee Room 4A, Palace of Westminster

At 4:15pm:

  • Detective Superintendent Paul Hudson, Head of the Metropolitan Police Service Technical Unit
  • Michael Atkinson, Secretary to the National Police Council's Data Communications Group
  • Temporary Detective Superintendent Matt Long, Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command at the National Crime Agency

At 5pm:

  • David Davis MP
  • Baroness Jones of Moulescoomb

At 5:45pm:

  • Peter Carter QC
  • Martin Chamberlain QC
  • Matthew Ryder QC
  • Graham Smith, Partner at Bird & Bird LLP

Possible questions

Questions in the first session may include:

  • Is accessing Internet Connection Records essential for the purposes of IP resolution and identifying of persons of interest?
  • What is the justification for your organisations having the power to undertake equipment interference?
  • How do you minimise the risk of intrusion into the privacy of innocent individuals?

Questions in the second session may include:

  • Has the operational case been made for the bulk interception, bulk acquisition of collection of communications data and bulk equipment interference?
  • What is the correct balance between the democratic accountability of Ministers and the independent oversight of judges in the authorisation of warrants?
  • Does the proposed set-up for the Judicial Commissioners give them sufficient independence from the executive?
  • Does the enshrining of the Wilson doctrine in statute provide adequate protection for legislators' communications?

Questions in the third session may include:

  • What test do you think is meant by applying "the same principles as would be applied by a court on an application for judicial review"?
  • Do the terms of appointment for Judicial Commissioners sufficiently guarantee their independence from the executive?
  • Do the oversight mechanisms in the draft Bill satisfy the requirements of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights?
  • Does the draft Bill address concerns about legal professional privilege and investigatory powers?

Further information

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