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Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000

Type Public General Act

Publication 2000-07-28

Last updated 2026-04-07

State In force

Department Statute Law Database

Source legislation.gov.uk

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(d) has come into the possession of any person as a result of having been provided or disclosed in pursuance of any statutory duty (whether or not one arising as a result of a request for information), or is likely to do so; or

(e) has, by any other lawful means not involving the exercise of statutory powers, come into the possession of any of the intelligence services, the police, the National Crime Agency ... or Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, or is likely so to come into the possession of any of those services, the police, the National Crime Agency ... or Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs.

(2) If any person with the appropriate permission under Schedule 2 believes, on reasonable grounds—

(a) that a key to the protected information is in the possession of any person,

(b) that the imposition of a disclosure requirement in respect of the protected information is—

(i) necessary on grounds falling within subsection (3), or

(ii) necessary for the purpose of securing the effective exercise or proper performance by any public authority of any statutory power or statutory duty,

(d) that it is not reasonably practicable for the person with the appropriate permission to obtain possession of the protected information in an intelligible form without the giving of a notice under this section,

the person with that permission may, by notice to the person whom he believes to have possession of the key, impose a disclosure requirement in respect of the protected information.

(3) A disclosure requirement in respect of any protected information is necessary on grounds falling within this subsection if it is necessary—

(a) in the interests of national security;

(b) for the purpose of preventing or detecting crime; or

(4) A notice under this section imposing a disclosure requirement in respect of any protected information—

(a) must be given in writing or (if not in writing) must be given in a manner that produces a record of its having been given;

(b) must describe the protected information to which the notice relates;

(d) must specify the office, rank or position held by the person giving it;

(e) must specify the office, rank or position of the person who for the purposes of Schedule 2 granted permission for the giving of the notice or (if the person giving the notice was entitled to give it without another person’s permission) must set out the circumstances in which that entitlement arose;

(f) must specify the time by which the notice is to be complied with; and

(g) must set out the disclosure that is required by the notice and the form and manner in which it is to be made;

and the time specified for the purposes of paragraph (f) must allow a period for compliance which is reasonable in all the circumstances.

(5) Where it appears to a person with the appropriate permission—

(a) that more than one person is in possession of the key to any protected information,

(b) that any of those persons is in possession of that key in his capacity as an officer or employee of any body corporate, and

a notice under this section shall not be given, by reference to his possession of the key, to any officer or employee of the body corporate unless he is a senior officer of the body corporate or it appears to the person giving the notice that there is no senior officer of the body corporate and (in the case of an employee) no more senior employee of the body corporate to whom it is reasonably practicable to give the notice.

(6) Where it appears to a person with the appropriate permission—

(b) that any of those persons is in possession of that key in his capacity as an employee of a firm, and

a notice under this section shall not be given, by reference to his possession of the key, to any employee of the firm unless it appears to the person giving the notice that there is neither a partner of the firm nor a more senior employee of the firm to whom it is reasonably practicable to give the notice.

(7) Subsections (5) and (6) shall not apply to the extent that there are special circumstances of the case that mean that the purposes for which the notice is given would be defeated, in whole or in part, if the notice were given to the person to whom it would otherwise be required to be given by those subsections.

(8) A notice under this section shall not require the making of any disclosure to any person other than—

(a) the person giving the notice; or

(b) such other person as may be specified in or otherwise identified by, or in accordance with, the provisions of the notice.

(9) A notice under this section shall not require the disclosure of any key which—

(a) is intended to be used for the purpose only of generating electronic signatures; and

(b) has not in fact been used for any other purpose.

(9A) In subsection (1)(b) the reference to obtaining secondary data from communications is to be read in accordance with section 16 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016.

(10) In this section “senior officer”, in relation to a body corporate, means a director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body corporate; and for this purpose “director”, in relation to a body corporate whose affairs are managed by its members, means a member of the body corporate.

(11) Schedule 2 (definition of the appropriate permission) shall have effect.

Effect of notice imposing disclosure requirement

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(1) Subject to the following provisions of this section, the effect of a section 49 notice imposing a disclosure requirement in respect of any protected information on a person who is in possession at a relevant time of both the protected information and a means of obtaining access to the information and of disclosing it in an intelligible form is that he—

(a) shall be entitled to use any key in his possession to obtain access to the information or to put it into an intelligible form; and

(b) shall be required, in accordance with the notice imposing the requirement, to make a disclosure of the information in an intelligible form.

(2) A person subject to a requirement under subsection (1)(b) to make a disclosure of any information in an intelligible form shall be taken to have complied with that requirement if—

(a) he makes, instead, a disclosure of any key to the protected information that is in his possession; and

(b) that disclosure is made, in accordance with the notice imposing the requirement, to the person to whom, and by the time by which, he was required to provide the information in that form.

(3) Where, in a case in which a disclosure requirement in respect of any protected information is imposed on any person by a section 49 notice—

(a) that person is not in possession of the information,

(b) that person is incapable, without the use of a key that is not in his possession, of obtaining access to the information and of disclosing it in an intelligible form, or

(c) the notice states, in pursuance of a direction under section 51, that it can be complied with only by the disclosure of a key to the information,

the effect of imposing that disclosure requirement on that person is that he shall be required, in accordance with the notice imposing the requirement, to make a disclosure of any key to the protected information that is in his possession at a relevant time.

(4) Subsections (5) to (7) apply where a person (“the person given notice”)—

(a) is entitled or obliged to disclose a key to protected information for the purpose of complying with any disclosure requirement imposed by a section 49 notice; and

(b) is in possession of more than one key to that information.

(5) It shall not be necessary, for the purpose of complying with the requirement, for the person given notice to make a disclosure of any keys in addition to those the disclosure of which is, alone, sufficient to enable the person to whom they are disclosed to obtain access to the information and to put it into an intelligible form.

(6) Where—

(a) subsection (5) allows the person given notice to comply with a requirement without disclosing all of the keys in his possession, and

(b) there are different keys, or combinations of keys, in the possession of that person the disclosure of which would, under that subsection, constitute compliance,

the person given notice may select which of the keys, or combination of keys, to disclose for the purpose of complying with that requirement in accordance with that subsection.

(7) Subject to subsections (5) and (6), the person given notice shall not be taken to have complied with the disclosure requirement by the disclosure of a key unless he has disclosed every key to the protected information that is in his possession at a relevant time.

(8) Where, in a case in which a disclosure requirement in respect of any protected information is imposed on any person by a section 49 notice—

(a) that person has been in possession of the key to that information but is no longer in possession of it,

(b) if he had continued to have the key in his possession, he would have been required by virtue of the giving of the notice to disclose it, and

the effect of imposing that disclosure requirement on that person is that he shall be required, in accordance with the notice imposing the requirement, to disclose all such information to which subsection (9) applies as is in his possession and as he may be required, in accordance with that notice, to disclose by the person to whom he would have been required to disclose the key.

(9) This subsection applies to any information that would facilitate the obtaining or discovery of the key or the putting of the protected information into an intelligible form.

(10) In this section “relevant time”, in relation to a disclosure requirement imposed by a section 49 notice, means the time of the giving of the notice or any subsequent time before the time by which the requirement falls to be complied with.

Cases in which key required

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(1) A section 49 notice imposing a disclosure requirement in respect of any protected information shall not contain a statement for the purposes of section 50(3)(c) unless—

(a) the person who for the purposes of Schedule 2 granted the permission for the giving of the notice in relation to that information, or

(b) any person whose permission for the giving of a such a notice in relation to that information would constitute the appropriate permission under that Schedule,

has given a direction that the requirement can be complied with only by the disclosure of the key itself.

(2) A direction for the purposes of subsection (1) by the police, the National Crime Agency, ..., Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs or a member of Her Majesty’s forces shall not be given—

(a) in the case of a direction by the police or by a member of Her Majesty’s forces who is a member of a police force, except by or with the permission of a chief officer of police;

(aa) in the case of a direction by the National Crime Agency, except by or with the permission of the Director General of the National Crime Agency;

(ab) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(b) in the case of a direction by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, except by or with the permission of the Commissioners for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs; or

(c) in the case of a direction by a member of Her Majesty’s forces who is not a member of a police force, except by or with the permission of a person of or above the rank of brigadier or its equivalent.

(3) A permission given for the purposes of subsection (2) by a chief officer of police, the Director General of the National Crime Agency, ... the Commissioners for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs or a person of or above any such rank as is mentioned in paragraph (c) of that subsection must be given expressly in relation to the direction in question.

(4) A person shall not give a direction for the purposes of subsection (1) unless he believes—

(a) that there are special circumstances of the case which mean that the purposes for which it was believed necessary to impose the requirement in question would be defeated, in whole or in part, if the direction were not given; and

(b) that the giving of the direction is proportionate to what is sought to be achieved by prohibiting any compliance with the requirement in question otherwise than by the disclosure of the key itself.

(5) The matters to be taken into account in considering whether the requirement of subsection (4)(b) is satisfied in the case of any direction shall include—

(a) the extent and nature of any protected information, in addition to the protected information in respect of which the disclosure requirement is imposed, to which the key is also a key; and

(b) any adverse effect that the giving of the direction might have on a business carried on by the person on whom the disclosure requirement is imposed.

(6) Where a direction for the purposes of subsection (1) is given by a chief officer of police, by the Director General of the National Crime Agency, ... by the Commissioners for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs or by a member of Her Majesty’s forces, the person giving the direction shall give a notification that he has done so to the Investigatory Powers Commissioner.

(7) A notification under subsection (6)—

(a) must be given not more than seven days after the day of the giving of the direction to which it relates; and

(b) may be given either in writing or by being transmitted to the Investigatory Powers Commissioner by electronic means.

Contributions to costs

Arrangements for payments for disclosure

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(1) It shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to ensure that such arrangements are in force as he thinks appropriate for requiring or authorising, in such cases as he thinks fit, the making to persons to whom section 49 notices are given of appropriate contributions towards the costs incurred by them in complying with such notices.

(2) For the purpose of complying with his duty under this section, the Secretary of State may make arrangements for payments to be made out of money provided by Parliament.

Offences

Failure to comply with a notice

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(1) A person to whom a section 49 notice has been given is guilty of an offence if he knowingly fails, in accordance with the notice, to make the disclosure required by virtue of the giving of the notice.

(2) In proceedings against any person for an offence under this section, if it is shown that that person was in possession of a key to any protected information at any time before the time of the giving of the section 49 notice, that person shall be taken for the purposes of those proceedings to have continued to be in possession of that key at all subsequent times, unless it is shown that the key was not in his possession after the giving of the notice and before the time by which he was required to disclose it.

(3) For the purposes of this section a person shall be taken to have shown that he was not in possession of a key to protected information at a particular time if—

(a) sufficient evidence of that fact is adduced to raise an issue with respect to it; and

(b) the contrary is not proved beyond a reasonable doubt.

(4) In proceedings against any person for an offence under this section it shall be a defence for that person to show—

(a) that it was not reasonably practicable for him to make the disclosure required by virtue of the giving of the section 49 notice before the time by which he was required, in accordance with that notice, to make it; but

(b) that he did make that disclosure as soon after that time as it was reasonably practicable for him to do so.

(5) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable—

(a) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding the appropriate maximum term or to a fine, or to both;

(b) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum, or to both.

(5A) In subsection (5) ‘the appropriate maximum term’ means—

(a) in a national security case or a child indecency case, five years; and

(b) in any other case, two years.

(5B) In subsection (5A) ‘a national security case’ means a case in which the grounds specified in the notice to which the offence relates as the grounds for imposing a disclosure requirement were or included a belief that the imposition of the requirement was necessary in the interests of national security.

(6) In subsection (5A) “ a child indecency case ” means a case in which the grounds specified in the notice to which the offence relates as the grounds for imposing a disclosure requirement were or included a belief that the imposition of the requirement was necessary for the purpose of preventing or detecting an offence under any of the provisions listed in subsection (7).

(7) Those provisions are—

(a) section 1 of the Protection of Children Act 1978 (showing or taking etc an indecent photograph of a child: England and Wales);

(b) Article 3 of the Protection of Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1978 (S.I. 1978/1047 (N.I. 17)) (corresponding offence for Northern Ireland);

(c) section 52 or 52A of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (showing or taking etc or possessing an indecent photograph of a child: Scotland);

(d) section 160 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (possessing an indecent photograph of a child: England and Wales);

(e) Article 15 of the Criminal Justice (Evidence, Etc.) (Northern Ireland) Order 1988 (S.I. 1988/1847 (N.I. 17)) (corresponding offence for Northern Ireland).

Tipping-off

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(1) This section applies where a section 49 notice contains a provision requiring—

(a) the person to whom the notice is given, and

(b) every other person who becomes aware of it or of its contents,

to keep secret the giving of the notice, its contents and the things done in pursuance of it.

(2) A requirement to keep anything secret shall not be included in a section 49 notice except where—

(a) it is included with the consent of the person who for the purposes of Schedule 2 granted the permission for the giving of the notice; or

(b) the person who gives the notice is himself a person whose permission for the giving of such a notice in relation to the information in question would have constituted appropriate permission under that Schedule.

(3) A section 49 notice shall not contain a requirement to keep anything secret except where the protected information to which it relates—

(a) has come into the possession of the police, the National Crime Agency, ... Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs or any of the intelligence services, or

(b) is likely to come into the possession of the police, the National Crime Agency, ... Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs or any of the intelligence services,

by means which it is reasonable, in order to maintain the effectiveness of any investigation or operation or of investigatory techniques generally, or in the interests of the safety or well-being of any person, to keep secret from a particular person.

(4) A person who makes a disclosure to any other person of anything that he is required by a section 49 notice to keep secret shall be guilty of an offence and liable—

(a) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to a fine, or to both;

(b) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum, or to both.

(5) In proceedings against any person for an offence under this section in respect of any disclosure, it shall be a defence for that person to show that—

(a) the disclosure was effected entirely by the operation of software designed to indicate when a key to protected information has ceased to be secure; and

(b) that person could not reasonably have been expected to take steps, after being given the notice or (as the case may be) becoming aware of it or of its contents, to prevent the disclosure.

(6) In proceedings against any person for an offence under this section in respect of any disclosure, it shall be a defence for that person to show that—

(a) the disclosure was made by or to a professional legal adviser in connection with the giving, by the adviser to any client of his, of advice about the effect of provisions of this Part; and

(b) the person to whom or, as the case may be, by whom it was made was the client or a representative of the client.

(7) In proceedings against any person for an offence under this section in respect of any disclosure, it shall be a defence for that person to show that the disclosure was made by a legal adviser—

(a) in contemplation of, or in connection with, any legal proceedings; and

(b) for the purposes of those proceedings.

(8) Neither subsection (6) nor subsection (7) applies in the case of a disclosure made with a view to furthering any criminal purpose.

(9) In proceedings against any person for an offence under this section in respect of any disclosure, it shall be a defence for that person to show that the disclosure was confined to a disclosure made to a Judicial Commissioner or authorised—

(a) by such a Commissioner;

(b) by the terms of the notice;

(d) by or on behalf of a person who—

(i) is in lawful possession of the protected information to which the notice relates; and

(ii) came into possession of that information as mentioned in section 49(1).

(10) In proceedings for an offence under this section against a person other than the person to whom the notice was given, it shall be a defence for the person against whom the proceedings are brought to show that he neither knew nor had reasonable grounds for suspecting that the notice contained a requirement to keep secret what was disclosed.

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Safeguards

General duties of specified authorities

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(1) This section applies to—

(a) the Secretary of State and every other Minister of the Crown in charge of a government department;

(b) every chief officer of police;

(ba) the Director General of the National Crime Agency;

(bb) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(d) every person whose officers or employees include persons with duties that involve the giving of section 49 notices.

(2) It shall be the duty of each of the persons to whom this section applies to ensure that such arrangements are in force, in relation to persons under his control who by virtue of this Part obtain possession of keys to protected information, as he considers necessary for securing—

(a) that a key disclosed in pursuance of a section 49 notice is used for obtaining access to, or putting into an intelligible form, only protected information in relation to which power to give such a notice was exercised or could have been exercised if the key had not already been disclosed;

(b) that the uses to which a key so disclosed is put are reasonable having regard both to the uses to which the person using the key is entitled to put any protected information to which it relates and to the other circumstances of the case;

(c) that, having regard to those matters, the use and any retention of the key are proportionate to what is sought to be achieved by its use or retention;

(d) that the requirements of subsection (3) are satisfied in relation to any key disclosed in pursuance of a section 49 notice;

(e) that, for the purpose of ensuring that those requirements are satisfied, any key so disclosed is stored, for so long as it is retained, in a secure manner;

(f) that all records of a key so disclosed (if not destroyed earlier) are destroyed as soon as the key is no longer needed for the purpose of enabling protected information to be put into an intelligible form.

(3) The requirements of this subsection are satisfied in relation to any key disclosed in pursuance of a section 49 notice if—

(a) the number of persons to whom the key is disclosed or otherwise made available, and

(b) the number of copies made of the key,

are each limited to the minimum that is necessary for the purpose of enabling protected information to be put into an intelligible form.

(3A) The power of the Director General of the National Crime Agency to delegate functions under paragraph 10 of Schedule 1 to the Crime and Courts Act 2013 does not apply in relation to the Director General's duties under this section.

(3B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(4) Subject to subsection (5), where any relevant person incurs any loss or damage in consequence of—

(a) any breach by a person to whom this section applies of the duty imposed on him by subsection (2), or

(b) any contravention by any person whatever of arrangements made in pursuance of that subsection in relation to persons under the control of a person to whom this section applies,

the breach or contravention shall be actionable against the person to whom this section applies at the suit or instance of the relevant person.

(5) A person is a relevant person for the purposes of subsection (4) if he is—

(a) a person who has made a disclosure in pursuance of a section 49 notice; or

(b) a person whose protected information or key has been disclosed in pursuance of such a notice;

and loss or damage shall be taken into account for the purposes of that subsection to the extent only that it relates to the disclosure of particular protected information or a particular key which, in the case of a person falling with paragraph (b), must be his information or key.

(6) For the purposes of subsection (5)—

(a) information belongs to a person if he has any right that would be infringed by an unauthorised disclosure of the information; and

(b) a key belongs to a person if it is a key to information that belongs to him or he has any right that would be infringed by an unauthorised disclosure of the key.

(7) In any proceedings brought by virtue of subsection (4), it shall be the duty of the court to have regard to any opinion with respect to the matters to which the proceedings relate that is or has been given by a Judicial Commissioner or the Investigatory Powers Commissioner for Northern Ireland .

(8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Interpretation of Part III

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(1) In this Part—

“chief officer of police” means any of the following—the chief constable of a police force maintained under or by virtue of section 2 of the Police Act 1996 ...;the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis;the Commissioner of Police for the City of London; the chief constable of the Police Service of Scotland; the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary;the Chief Constable of the Ministry of Defence Police;the Provost Marshal of the Royal Navy Police;the Provost Marshal of the Royal Military Police;the Provost Marshal of the Royal Air Force Police; the Provost Marshal for serious crime;the Chief Constable of the British Transport Police;. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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“electronic signature” means anything in electronic form which—is incorporated into, or otherwise logically associated with, any electronic communication or other electronic data;is generated by the signatory or other source of the communication or data; andis used for the purpose of facilitating, by means of a link between the signatory or other source and the communication or data, the establishment of the authenticity of the communication or data, the establishment of its integrity, or both;

“key”, in relation to any electronic data, means any key, code, password, algorithm or other data the use of which (with or without other keys)—allows access to the electronic data, orfacilitates the putting of the data into an intelligible form;

“the police” means—any constable (except a constable who is a National Crime Agency officer ...);the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis or any Assistant Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis; orthe Commissioner of Police for the City of London;

“protected information” means any electronic data which, without the key to the data—cannot, or cannot readily, be accessed, orcannot, or cannot readily, be put into an intelligible form;

“section 49 notice” means a notice under section 49;

“warrant” includes any authorisation, notice or other instrument (however described) conferring a power of the same description as may, in other cases, be conferred by a warrant.

(2) References in this Part to a person’s having information (including a key to protected information) in his possession include references—

(a) to its being in the possession of a person who is under his control so far as that information is concerned;

(b) to his having an immediate right of access to it, or an immediate right to have it transmitted or otherwise supplied to him; and

(c) to its being, or being contained in, anything which he or a person under his control is entitled, in exercise of any statutory power and without otherwise taking possession of it, to detain, inspect or search.

(3) References in this Part to something’s being intelligible or being put into an intelligible form include references to its being in the condition in which it was before an encryption or similar process was applied to it or, as the case may be, to its being restored to that condition.

(4) In this section—

(a) references to the authenticity of any communication or data are references to any one or more of the following—

(i) whether the communication or data comes from a particular person or other source;

(ii) whether it is accurately timed and dated;

(iii) whether it is intended to have legal effect;

and

(b) references to the integrity of any communication or data are references to whether there has been any tampering with or other modification of the communication or data.

Part IV — Scrutiny etc. of investigatory powers and of the functions of the intelligence services

Commissioners

Interception of Communications Commissioner

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Co-operation with and reports by s. 57 Commissioner

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Intelligence Services Commissioner

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Co-operation with and reports by s. 59 Commissioner

60

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Investigatory Powers Commissioner for Northern Ireland

61

(1) The Prime Minister, after consultation with the First Minister and deputy First Minister in Northern Ireland, shall appoint a Commissioner to be known as the Investigatory Powers Commissioner for Northern Ireland.

(2) The Investigatory Powers Commissioner for Northern Ireland shall keep under review the exercise and performance in Northern Ireland, by the persons on whom they are conferred or imposed, of any powers or duties under Part II which are conferred or imposed by virtue of an order under section 30 made by the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister in Northern Ireland.

(3) The Investigatory Powers Commissioner for Northern Ireland shall give the Tribunal all such assistance (including his opinion as to any issue falling to be determined by the Tribunal) as the Tribunal may require—

(a) in connection with the investigation of any matter by the Tribunal; or

(b) otherwise for the purposes of the Tribunal’s consideration or determination of any matter.

(4) It shall be the duty of—

(a) every person by whom, or on whose application, there has been given or granted any authorisation the function of giving or granting which is subject to review by the Investigatory Powers Commissioner for Northern Ireland,

(b) every person who has engaged in conduct with the authority of such an authorisation,

(c) every person who holds or has held any office, rank or position with the same public authority as a person falling within paragraph (a), and

(d) every person who holds or has held any office, rank or position with any public authority for whose benefit (within the meaning of Part II) activities which are or may be subject to any such review have been or may be carried out,

to disclose or provide to that Commissioner all such documents and information as he may require for the purpose of enabling him to carry out his functions.

(5) As soon as practicable after the end of each calendar year, the Investigatory Powers Commissioner for Northern Ireland shall make a report to the First Minister and deputy First Minister in Northern Ireland with respect to the carrying out of that Commissioner’s functions.

(6) The First Minister and deputy First Minister in Northern Ireland shall lay before the Northern Ireland Assembly a copy of every annual report made by the Investigatory Powers Commissioner for Northern Ireland under subsection (5), together with a statement as to whether any matter has been excluded from that copy in pursuance of subsection (7).

(7) If it appears to the First Minister and deputy First Minister in Northern Ireland, after consultation with the Investigatory Powers Commissioner for Northern Ireland, that the publication of any matter in an annual report would be contrary to the public interest or prejudicial to—

(a) the prevention or detection of serious crime, or

(b) the continued discharge of the functions of any public authority whose activities include activities that are subject to review by that Commissioner,

they may exclude that matter from the copy of the report as laid before the Northern Ireland Assembly.

(8) A person shall not be appointed under this section as the Investigatory Powers Commissioner for Northern Ireland unless he holds or has held office in Northern Ireland—

(a) in any capacity in which he is or was the holder of a high judicial office (within the meaning of Part 3 of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005); or

(b) as a county court judge.

(9) The Investigatory Powers Commissioner for Northern Ireland shall hold office in accordance with the terms of his appointment; and there shall be paid to him out of the Consolidated Fund of Northern Ireland such allowances as the Department of Finance and Personnel may determine.

(10) The First Minister and deputy First Minister in Northern Ireland shall, after consultation with the Investigatory Powers Commissioner for Northern Ireland, provide him with such staff as they consider necessary for the carrying out of his functions.

Additional functions of Chief Surveillance Commissioner

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Assistant Surveillance Commissioners

63

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Delegation of Commissioners' functions

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(1) Anything authorised or required by or under any enactment ...to be done by the Investigatory Powers Commissioner for Northern Ireland may be done by any member of the staff of that Commissioner who is authorised for the purpose (whether generally or specifically) by that Commissioner.

(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Tribunal

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(1) There shall, for the purpose of exercising the jurisdiction conferred on them by this section, be a tribunal consisting of such number of members as Her Majesty may by Letters Patent appoint.

(2) The jurisdiction of the Tribunal shall be—

(a) to be the only appropriate tribunal for the purposes of section 7 of the Human Rights Act 1998 in relation to any proceedings under subsection (1)(a) of that section (proceedings for actions incompatible with Convention rights) which fall within subsection (3) of this section;

(b) to consider and determine any complaints made to them which, in accordance with subsection (4) ... , are complaints for which the Tribunal is the appropriate forum;

(ba) to consider and determine any complaints made to them which, in accordance with subsection (4AA), are complaints for which the Tribunal is the appropriate forum;

(c) to consider and determine any reference to them by any person that he has suffered detriment as a consequence of any prohibition or restriction, by virtue of section 56 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016, on his relying in, or for the purposes of, any civil proceedings on any matter; and

(d) to hear and determine any other such proceedings falling within subsection (3) as may be allocated to them in accordance with provision made by the Secretary of State by order.

(3) Proceedings fall within this subsection if—

(a) they are proceedings against any of the intelligence services;

(b) they are proceedings against any other person in respect of any conduct, proposed conduct, by or on behalf of any of those services;

(ca) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(cb) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(d) they are proceedings relating to the taking place in any challengeable circumstances of any conduct falling within subsection (5).

(4) The Tribunal is the appropriate forum for any complaint if it is a complaint by a person who is aggrieved by any conduct falling within subsection (5) which he believes—

(a) to have taken place in relation to him, to any of his property, to any communications sent by or to him, or intended for him, or to his use of any postal service, telecommunications service or telecommunication system; and

(b) to have taken place in challengeable circumstances or to have been carried out by or on behalf of any of the intelligence services.

(4AA) The Tribunal is the appropriate forum for a complaint if it is a complaint by an individual about a relevant personal data breach.

(4AB) In subsection (4AA) “relevant personal data breach” means a personal data breach that the individual is informed of under section 235A(5) of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (serious personal data breaches).

(4A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(5) Subject to subsection (6), conduct falls within this subsection if (whenever it occurred) it is—

(a) conduct by or on behalf of any of the intelligence services;

(b) conduct for or in connection with the interception of communications in the course of their transmission by means of a postal service or telecommunication system;

(ba) conduct for or in connection with the obtaining of secondary data from communications transmitted by means of such a service or system;

(bb) the issue, modification, renewal or service of a warrant under Part 2 or Chapter 1 of Part 6 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (interception of communications);

(c) conduct of a kind which may be permitted or required by an authorisation or notice under Part 3 of that Act or a warrant under Chapter 2 of Part 6 of that Act (acquisition of communications data);

(cza) the giving of an authorisation or notice under Part 3 of that Act or the issue, modification, renewal or service of a warrant under Chapter 2 of Part 6 of that Act;

(czb) conduct of a kind which may be required or permitted by a retention notice under Part 4 of that Act (retention of communications data) but excluding any conduct which is subject to review by the Information Commissioner;

(czc) the giving or varying of a retention notice under that Part of that Act;

(czd) conduct of a kind which may be required or permitted by a warrant under Part 5 or Chapter 3 of Part 6 of that Act (equipment interference);

(cze) the issue, modification, renewal or service of a warrant under Part 5 or Chapter 3 of Part 6 of that Act;

(czf) the issue, modification, renewal or service of a warrant under Part 7 of that Act (bulk personal dataset warrants);

(czg) the giving of an authorisation under section 219(3)(b) (authorisation for the retention, or retention and examination, of material following expiry of bulk personal dataset warrant);

(czh) the giving or varying of a direction under section 225 of that Act (directions where no bulk personal dataset warrant required);

(czha) the granting or renewal of an authorisation under Part 7A of that Act (low or no expectation of privacy bulk personal datasets);

(czhb) the issue, renewal or service of a warrant under Part 7B of that Act (third party bulk personal datasets);

(czi) conduct of a kind which may be required by a notice under section 252 , 253 or 258A of that Act (national security , technical capability or proposed changes to telecommunications services etc notices);

(czj) the giving or varying of such a notice;

(czk) the giving of an authorisation under section 152(5)(c) or 193(5)(c) of that Act (certain authorisations to examine intercepted content or protected material);

(czl) any failure to—

(i) cancel a warrant under Part 2, 5, 6 , 7 or 7B of that Act or an authorisation under Part 3 or 7A of that Act;

(ii) cancel a notice under Part 3 of that Act;

(iii) revoke a notice under Part 4, or section 252 , 253 or 258A, of that Act; or

(iv) revoke a direction under section 225 of that Act;

(czm) any conduct in connection with any conduct falling within paragraph (c), (czb), (czd) or (czi);

(ca) the carrying out of surveillance by a foreign police or customs officer (within the meaning of section 76A);

(d) other conduct to which Part II applies;

(e) the giving of a notice under section 49 or any disclosure or use of a key to protected information;

(f) any entry on or interference with property or any interference with wireless telegraphy.

(6) For the purposes only of subsection (3), nothing mentioned in paragraph (d) or (f) of subsection (5) shall be treated as falling within that subsection unless it is conduct by or on behalf of an immigration officer or a person holding any office, rank or position with—

(a) any of the intelligence services;

(b) any of Her Majesty’s forces;

(cza) the Service Police Complaints Commissioner;

(ca) the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner;

(d) the National Crime Agency;

(dza) the Competition and Markets Authority;

(da) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(f) the Commissioners for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs;

and section 48(5) applies for the purposes of this subsection as it applies for the purposes of Part II.

(6A) Subsection (6) does not apply to anything mentioned in paragraph (d) or (f) of subsection (5) which also falls within paragraph (czd) of that subsection.

(7) For the purposes of this section conduct takes place in challengeable circumstances if it is conduct of a public authority and —

(a) it takes place with the authority, or purported authority, of anything falling within subsection (8); or

(b) the circumstances are such that (whether or not there is such authority) it would not have been appropriate for the conduct to take place without it, or at least without proper consideration having been given to whether such authority should be sought;

but , subject to subsection (7ZA), conduct does not take place in challengeable circumstances to the extent that it is authorised by, or takes place with the permission of, a judicial authority.

(7ZA) The exception in subsection (7) so far as conduct is authorised by, or takes place with the permission of, a judicial authority does not include conduct authorised by an approval given by a Judicial Commissioner or under section 32A of this Act or section 75 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016.

(7ZB) For the purposes of this section conduct also takes place in challengeable circumstances if it is, or purports to be, conduct falling within subsection (5)(bb), (cza), (czc), (cze), (czf), (czg), (czh) , (czha), (czhb), (czj), (czk) or (czl) or (so far as the conduct is, or purports to be, the giving of a notice under section 49) subsection (5)(e).

(7A) For the purposes of this section conduct also takes place in challengeable circumstances if it takes place, or purports to take place, under section 76A.

(8) The following fall within this subsection—

(a) a warrant under Part 2, 5, 6 , 7 or 7B of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016;

(b) an authorisation or notice under Part 3 of that Act;

(ba) a retention notice under Part 4 of that Act;

(bb) a direction under section 225 of that Act;

(bba) an authorisation under Part 7A of that Act;

(bc) a notice under section 252 , 253 or 258A of that Act;

(c) an authorisation under Part II of this Act or under any enactment contained in or made under an Act of the Scottish Parliament which makes provision equivalent to that made by that Part;

(d) a permission for the purposes of Schedule 2 to this Act;

(e) a notice under section 49 of this Act; or

(f) an authorisation under section 93 of the Police Act 1997.

(9) Schedule 3 (which makes further provision in relation to the Tribunal) shall have effect.

(9A) In subsection (5)(ba) the reference to obtaining secondary data from communications transmitted by means of a postal service or telecommunication system is to be read in accordance with section 16 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016.

(10) In this section—

(a) references to a key and to protected information shall be construed in accordance with section 56;

(b) references to the disclosure or use of a key to protected information taking place in relation to a person are references to such a disclosure or use taking place in a case in which that person has had possession of the key or of the protected information; and

(c) references to the disclosure of a key to protected information include references to the making of any disclosure in an intelligible form (within the meaning of section 56) of protected information by a person who is or has been in possession of the key to that information;

and the reference in paragraph (b) to a person’s having possession of a key or of protected information shall be construed in accordance with section 56.

(11) In this section “judicial authority” means—

(a) any judge of the High Court or of the Crown Court or any Circuit Judge;

(b) any judge of the High Court of Justiciary or any sheriff;

(d) any county court judge or resident magistrate in Northern Ireland;

(e) any person holding any such judicial office as entitles him to exercise the jurisdiction of a judge of the Crown Court or of a justice of the peace.

Orders allocating proceedings to the Tribunal

66

(1) An order under section 65(2)(d) allocating proceedings to the Tribunal—

(a) may provide for the Tribunal to exercise jurisdiction in relation to that matter to the exclusion of the jurisdiction of any court or tribunal; but

(b) if it does so provide, must contain provision conferring a power on the Tribunal, in the circumstances provided for in the order, to remit the proceedings to the court or tribunal which would have had jurisdiction apart from the order.

(2) In making any provision by an order under section 65(2)(d) the Secretary of State shall have regard, in particular, to—

(a) the need to secure that proceedings allocated to the Tribunal are properly heard and considered; and

(b) the need to secure that information is not disclosed to an extent, or in a manner, that is contrary to the public interest or prejudicial to national security, the prevention or detection of serious crime, the economic well-being of the United Kingdom or the continued discharge of the functions of any of the intelligence services.

(3) The Secretary of State shall not make an order under section 65(2)(d) unless a draft of the order has been laid before Parliament and approved by a resolution of each House.

Exercise of the Tribunal’s jurisdiction

67

(1) Subject to subsections (4) and (5), it shall be the duty of the Tribunal—

(a) to hear and determine any proceedings brought before them by virtue of section 65(2)(a) or (d); and

(b) to consider and determine any complaint or reference made to them by virtue of section 65(2)(b) , (ba) or (c).

(2) Where the Tribunal hear any proceedings by virtue of section 65(2)(a), they shall apply the same principles for making their determination in those proceedings as would be applied by a court on an application for judicial review.

(3) Where the Tribunal consider a complaint made to them by virtue of section 65(2)(b), it shall be the duty of the Tribunal—

(a) to investigate whether the persons against whom any allegations are made in the complaint have engaged in relation to—

(i) the complainant,

(ii) any of his property,

(iii) any communications sent by or to him, or intended for him, or

(iv) his use of any postal service, telecommunications service or telecommunication system,

in any conduct falling within section 65(5);

(b) to investigate the authority (if any) for any conduct falling within section 65(5) which they find has been so engaged in; and

(c) in relation to the Tribunal’s findings from their investigations, to determine the complaint by applying the same principles as would be applied by a court on an application for judicial review.

(4) The Tribunal shall not be under any duty to hear, consider or determine any proceedings, complaint or reference if it appears to them that the bringing of the proceedings or the making of the complaint or reference is frivolous or vexatious.

(5) Except where the Tribunal, having regard to all the circumstances, are satisfied that it is equitable to do so, they shall not consider or determine any complaint made by virtue of

(a) section 65(2)(b) if it is made more than one year after the taking place of the conduct to which it relates , or

(b) section 65(2)(ba) if it is made more than one year after the personal data breach to which it relates.

(6) Subject to any provision made by rules under section 69, where any proceedings have been brought before the Tribunal or any complaint or reference has been made to the Tribunal, they shall have power to make such interim orders, pending their final determination, as they think fit.

(7) Subject to any provision made by rules under section 69, the Tribunal on determining any proceedings, complaint or reference shall have power to make any such award of compensation or other order as they think fit; and, without prejudice to the power to make rules under section 69(2)(h), the other orders that may be made by the Tribunal include—

(a) an order quashing or cancelling any warrant or authorisation;

(aza) an order quashing or cancelling a notice under Part 3 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 or a retention notice under Part 4 of that Act;

(azb) an order quashing or revoking a direction under section 225 of that Act;

(azc) an order quashing or revoking a notice under section 252 , 253 or 258A of that Act;

(aa) an order quashing an order under section 23A or 32A section 75 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 or section 32A of this Act by the relevant judicial authority (within the meaning of that section); and

(b) an order requiring the destruction of any records of information which—

(i) has been obtained in exercise of any power conferred by a warrant or authorisation or by a notice under Part 3 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 ; or

(ii) is held by any public authority in relation to any person.

(8) Except as provided by virtue of section 67A, determinations, awards, orders and other decisions of the Tribunal (including decisions as to whether they have jurisdiction) shall not be subject to appeal or be liable to be questioned in any court.

(9) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(10) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(11) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(12) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tribunal procedure

68

(1) Subject to any rules made under section 69, the Tribunal shall be entitled to determine their own procedure in relation to any proceedings, complaint or reference brought before or made to them.

(2) The Tribunal shall have power—

(a) in connection with the investigation of any matter, or

(b) otherwise for the purposes of the Tribunal’s consideration or determination of any matter,

to require a relevant Commissioner appearing to the Tribunal to have functions in relation to the matter in question to provide the Tribunal with all such assistance (including that Commissioner’s opinion as to any issue falling to be determined by the Tribunal) as the Tribunal think fit.

(3) Where the Tribunal hear or consider any proceedings, complaint or reference relating to any matter, they shall secure that every relevant Commissioner appearing to them to have functions in relation to that matter—

(a) is aware that the matter is the subject of proceedings, a complaint or a reference brought before or made to the Tribunal; and

(b) is kept informed of any determination, award, order or other decision made by the Tribunal with respect to that matter.

(4) Where the Tribunal determine any proceedings, complaint or reference brought before or made to them, they shall give notice to the complainant which (subject to any rules made by virtue of section 69(2)(i)) shall be confined, as the case may be, to either—

(a) a statement that they have made a determination in his favour; or

(b) a statement that no determination has been made in his favour.

(4A) Where the Tribunal make any determination of a kind mentioned in subsection (4), they must also give notice to—

(a) in the case of proceedings, the respondent,

(b) in the case of a complaint, the person complained against, and

(4B) A notice under subsection (4A) is (subject to any rules made by virtue of section 69(2)(j)) to be confined, as the case may be, to either—

(a) a statement that they have made a determination in the complainant's favour, or

(b) a statement that no determination has been made in the complainant's favour.

(4C) Where the Tribunal make any decision which—

(a) is a final decision of a preliminary issue in relation to any proceedings, complaint or reference brought before or made to them, and

(b) is neither a determination of a kind mentioned in subsection (4) nor a decision relating to a procedural matter,

they must give notice of that decision to every person who would be entitled to receive notice of the determination under subsection (4) or (4A).

(4D) A notice under subsection (4C) is (subject to any rules made by virtue of section 69(2)(i) or (j)) to be confined to a statement as to what the decision is.

(4E) Subsections (4C) and (4D) do not apply so far as—

(a) the Tribunal are prevented from giving notice of a decision to a person by rules made by virtue of section 69(4) or decide under such rules not to give such a notice, or

(b) the giving of such a notice is inconsistent with such rules.

(5) Where—

(a) the Tribunal make a determination in favour of any person by whom any proceedings have been brought before the Tribunal or by whom any complaint or reference has been made to the Tribunal, and

(b) the determination relates to any act or omission by or on behalf of the Secretary of State or to conduct for which any warrant, authorisation or permission , or notice under Part 4 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 or under section 252 , 253 or 258A of that Act or direction under section 225 of that Act, was issued, granted or given by the Secretary of State,

they shall make a report of their findings to the Prime Minister.

(6) It shall be the duty of the persons specified in subsection (7) to disclose or provide to the Tribunal all such documents and information as the Tribunal may require for the purpose of enabling them—

(a) to exercise the jurisdiction conferred on them by or under section 65; or

(b) otherwise to exercise or perform any power or duty conferred or imposed on them by or under this Act or the Investigatory Powers Act 2016.

(7) Those persons are—

(a) every person holding office under the Crown;

(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(ba) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(d) every person employed by or for the purposes of a police force;

(da) the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner and every member of the Commissioner’s staff;

(db) the Service Police Complaints Commissioner and every member of the Commissioner’s staff;

(e) every person required for the purposes of section 41, 126, 149, 168 or 190 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 to provide assistance with giving effect to a warrant;

(f) every person on whom an obligation to take any steps has been imposed under section 252 , 253 or 258A of that Act;

(g) every person by or to whom an authorisation under Part 3 of that Act has been granted;

(h) every person to whom a notice under Part 3 of that Act has been given;

(ha) every person to whom a retention notice under Part 4 of that Act or a notice under section 252 , 253 or 258A of that Act has been given;

(i) every person by whom, or on whose application, there has been granted or given any authorisation under Part II of this Act or under Part III of the Police Act 1997;

(j) every person who holds or has held any office, rank or position with the same public authority as a person falling within paragraph (i);

(k) every person who has engaged in any conduct with the authority of—

(i) an authorisation under Part 3 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016, Part 2 of this Act or Part 3 of the Police Act 1997, or

(ii) a warrant under Chapter 2 of Part 6 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016;

(l) every person who holds or has held any office, rank or position with a public authority for whose benefit any such authorisation or warrant has been or may be given;

(m) every person to whom a notice under section 49 has been given; and

(n) every person who is or has been employed for the purposes of any business of a person falling within paragraph (e), (f), (h) , (ha) or (m).

(8) In this section “relevant Commissioner” means—

(a) the Investigatory Powers Commissioner or any other Judicial Commissioner,

(b) the Investigatory Powers Commissioner for Northern Ireland, or

Tribunal rules

69

(1) The Secretary of State may make rules regulating—

(a) the exercise by the Tribunal of the jurisdiction conferred on them by or under section 65; and

(b) any matters preliminary or incidental to, or arising out of, the hearing or consideration of any proceedings, complaint or reference brought before or made to the Tribunal.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), rules under this section may—

(a) enable the jurisdiction of the Tribunal to be exercised at any place in the United Kingdom by any two or more members of the Tribunal designated for the purpose by the President of the Tribunal;

(b) enable different members of the Tribunal to carry out functions in relation to different complaints at the same time;

(c) prescribe the form and manner in which proceedings are to be brought before the Tribunal or a complaint or reference is to be made to the Tribunal;

(d) require persons bringing proceedings or making complaints or references to take such preliminary steps, and to make such disclosures, as may be specified in the rules for the purpose of facilitating a determination of whether—

(i) the bringing of the proceedings, or

(ii) the making of the complaint or reference,

is frivolous or vexatious;

(e) make provision about the determination of any question as to whether a person by whom—

(i) any proceedings have been brought before the Tribunal, or

(ii) any complaint or reference has been made to the Tribunal,

is a person with a right to bring those proceedings or make that complaint or reference;

(f) prescribe the forms of hearing or consideration to be adopted by the Tribunal in relation to particular proceedings, complaints or references (including a form that requires any proceedings brought before the Tribunal to be disposed of as if they were a complaint or reference made to the Tribunal);

(g) prescribe the practice and procedure to be followed on, or in connection with, the hearing or consideration of any proceedings, complaint or reference (including, where applicable, the mode and burden of proof and the admissibility of evidence);

(h) prescribe orders that may be made by the Tribunal under section 67(6) or (7);

(i) require information about any determination, award, order or other decision made by the Tribunal in relation to any proceedings, complaint or reference to be provided (in addition to any statement under section 68(4) or notice under section 68(4C)) to the person who brought the proceedings or made the complaint or reference, or to the person representing his interests;

(j) require information about any determination, award, order or other decision made by the Tribunal in relation to any proceedings, complaint or reference to be provided (in addition to any statement under section 68(4A) or notice under section 68(4C)) to—

(i) in the case of proceedings, the respondent,

(ii) in the case of a complaint, the person complained against, and

(iii) in the case of a reference, any public authority to whom the reference relates,

or to the person representing their interests;

(k) make provision about the making and determination of applications to the Tribunal for permission to appeal

(3) Rules under this section in relation to the hearing or consideration of any matter by the Tribunal may provide—

(a) for a person who has brought any proceedings before or made any complaint or reference to the Tribunal to have the right to be legally represented;

(b) for the manner in which the interests of a person who has brought any proceedings before or made any complaint or reference to the Tribunal are otherwise to be represented;

(c) for the appointment in accordance with the rules, by such person as may be determined in accordance with the rules, of a person to represent those interests in the case of any proceedings, complaint or reference.

(4) The power to make rules under this section includes power to make rules—

(a) enabling or requiring the Tribunal to hear or consider any proceedings, complaint or reference without the person who brought the proceedings or made the complaint or reference having been given full particulars of the reasons for any conduct which is the subject of the proceedings, complaint or reference;

(b) enabling or requiring the Tribunal to take any steps in exercise of their jurisdiction in the absence of any person (including the person bringing the proceedings or making the complaint or reference and any legal representative of his);

(c) enabling or requiring the Tribunal to give a summary of any evidence taken in his absence to the person by whom the proceedings were brought or, as the case may be, to the person who made the complaint or reference;

(d) enabling or requiring the Tribunal to exercise their jurisdiction, and to exercise and perform the powers and duties conferred or imposed on them (including, in particular, in relation to the giving of reasons), in such manner provided for in the rules as prevents or limits the disclosure of particular matters.

(5) Rules under this section may also include provision—

(a) enabling powers or duties of the Tribunal that relate to matters preliminary or incidental to the hearing or consideration of any proceedings, complaint or reference to be exercised or performed by a single member of the Tribunal; and

(b) conferring on the Tribunal such ancillary powers as the Secretary of State thinks necessary for the purposes of, or in connection with, the exercise of the Tribunal’s jurisdiction, or the exercise or performance of any power or duty conferred or imposed on them.

(6) In making rules under this section the Secretary of State shall have regard, in particular, to—

(a) the need to secure that matters which are the subject of proceedings, complaints or references brought before or made to the Tribunal are properly heard and considered; and

(b) the need to secure that information is not disclosed to an extent, or in a manner, that is contrary to the public interest or prejudicial to national security, the prevention or detection of serious crime, the economic well-being of the United Kingdom or the continued discharge of the functions of any of the intelligence services.

(7) Rules under this section may make provision by the application, with or without modification, of the provision from time to time contained in specified rules of court.

(8) Subject to subsection (9), no rules shall be made under this section unless a draft of them has first been laid before Parliament and approved by a resolution of each House.

(9) Subsection (8) does not apply in the case of the rules made on the first occasion on which the Secretary of State exercises his power to make rules under this section.

(10) The rules made on that occasion shall cease to have effect at the end of the period of forty days beginning with the day on which they were made unless, before the end of that period, they have been approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.

(11) For the purposes of subsection (10)—

(a) the rules’ ceasing to have effect shall be without prejudice to anything previously done or to the making of new rules; and

(b) in reckoning the period of forty days no account shall be taken of any period during which Parliament is dissolved or prorogued or during which both Houses are adjourned for more than four days.

(12) The Secretary of State shall consult the Scottish Ministers before making any rules under this section; and any rules so made shall be laid before the Scottish Parliament.

Abolition of jurisdiction in relation to complaints

70

(1) The provisions set out in subsection (2) (which provide for the investigation etc. of certain complaints) shall not apply in relation to any complaint made after the coming into force of this section.

(2) Those provisions are—

(a) section 5 of, and Schedules 1 and 2 to, the Security Service Act 1989 (investigation of complaints about the Security Service made to the Tribunal established under that Act);

(b) section 9 of, and Schedules 1 and 2 to, the Intelligence Services Act 1994 (investigation of complaints about the Secret Intelligence Service or GCHQ made to the Tribunal established under that Act); and

(c) section 102 of, and Schedule 7 to, the Police Act 1997 (investigation of complaints made to the Surveillance Commissioners).

Codes of practice

Issue and revision of codes of practice

71

(1) The Secretary of State shall issue one or more codes of practice relating to the exercise and performance of the powers and duties mentioned in subsection (2).

(2) Those powers and duties are those (excluding any power to make subordinate legislation and subject to subsection (10)) that are conferred or imposed otherwise than on a Judicial Commissioner or the relevant judicial authority (within the meaning of section ... 32A) by or under—

(a) Parts 2 and 3 of this Act;

(b) section 5 of the Intelligence Services Act 1994 (warrants for interference with property or wireless telegraphy for the purposes of the intelligence services); and

(c) Part III of the Police Act 1997 (authorisation by the police or Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs of interference with property or wireless telegraphy).

(2A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(3) Before issuing a code of practice under subsection (1), the Secretary of State shall—

(a) prepare and publish a draft of that code; and

(b) consider any representations made to him about the draft;

and the Secretary of State may incorporate in the code finally issued any modifications made by him to the draft after its publication.

(4) The Secretary of State shall lay before both Houses of Parliament every draft code of practice prepared and published by him under this section.

(5) A code of practice issued by the Secretary of State under this section shall not be brought into force except in accordance with an order made by the Secretary of State.

(6) An order under subsection (5) may contain such transitional provisions and savings as appear to the Secretary of State to be necessary or expedient in connection with the bringing into force of the code brought into force by that order.

(7) The Secretary of State may from time to time—

(a) revise the whole or any part of a code issued under this section; and

(b) issue the revised code.

(8) Subsections (3) to (6) shall apply (with appropriate modifications) in relation to the issue of any revised code under this section as they apply in relation to the first issue of such a code.

(9) The Secretary of State shall not make an order containing provision for any of the purposes of this section unless a draft of the order has been laid before Parliament and approved by a resolution of each House.

(10) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Effect of codes of practice

72

(1) A person exercising or performing any power or duty in relation to which provision may be made by a code of practice under section 71 shall, in doing so, have regard to the provisions (so far as they are applicable) of every code of practice for the time being in force under that section.

(2) A failure on the part of any person to comply with any provision of a code of practice for the time being in force under section 71 shall not of itself render him liable to any criminal or civil proceedings.

(3) A code of practice in force at any time under section 71 shall be admissible in evidence in any criminal or civil proceedings.

(4) If any provision of a code of practice issued or revised under section 71 appears to—

(a) the court or tribunal conducting any civil or criminal proceedings,

(b) the Tribunal,

(ba) the Investigatory Powers Commissioner for Northern Ireland carrying out functions under this Act, or

(bb) the Investigatory Powers Commissioner or any other Judicial Commissioner carrying out functions under this Act, the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 or the Police Act 1997,

to be relevant to any question arising in the proceedings, or in connection with the exercise of that jurisdiction or the carrying out of those functions, in relation to a time when it was in force, that provision of the code shall be taken into account in determining that question.

(5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Part V — Miscellaneous and supplemental

Miscellaneous

Conduct in relation to wireless telegraphy

73

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Warrants under the Intelligence Services Act 1994

74

(1) In subsection (2) of section 5 of the Intelligence Services Act 1994 (the circumstances in which the Secretary of State may issue a warrant authorising interference with property or wireless telegraphy)—

(a) in paragraph (a), for “on the ground that it is likely to be of substantial value in” there shall be substituted “for the purpose of”; and

(b) for paragraph (b) there shall be substituted—

(b) is satisfied that the taking of the action is proportionate to what the action seeks to achieve;

(2) After that subsection, there shall be inserted—

(2A) The matters to be taken into account in considering whether the requirements of subsection (2)(a) and (b) are satisfied in the case of any warrant shall include whether what it is thought necessary to achieve by the conduct authorised by the warrant could reasonably be achieved by other means.

(3) In each of sections 6(1)(b) and 7(5)(b) of that Act (warrants issued under the hand of a senior official of the Secretary of State’s department), the words “of his department” shall be omitted.

(4) In section 11 of that Act (interpretation), for paragraph (1)(d) there shall be substituted—

(d) “senior official” has the same meaning as in the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000;

Authorisations under Part III of the Police Act 1997

75

(1) Section 93 of the Police Act 1997 (authorisations to interfere with property etc.) shall be amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (1) (the action that the authorising officer may authorise), for “or” at the end of paragraph (a) there shall be substituted—

(ab) the taking of such action falling within subsection (1A), in respect of property outside the relevant area, as he may specify, or

(3) After that subsection there shall be inserted—

(1A) The action falling within this subsection is action for maintaining or retrieving any equipment, apparatus or device the placing or use of which in the relevant area has been authorised under this Part or Part II of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 or under any enactment contained in or made under an Act of the Scottish Parliament which makes provision equivalent to that made by Part II of that Act of 2000. (1B) Subsection (1) applies where the authorising officer is a customs officer with the omission of— (a) the words “in the relevant area”, in each place where they occur; and (b) paragraph (ab).

(4) In subsection (2) (the grounds on which action may be authorised)—

(a) in paragraph (a), for the words from “on the ground” to “detection of” there shall be substituted “for the purpose of preventing or detecting”; and

(b) for paragraph (b) there shall be substituted—

(b) that the taking of the action is proportionate to what the action seeks to achieve.

(5) After subsection (2) there shall be inserted—

(2A) Subsection (2) applies where the authorising officer is the Chief Constable or the Deputy Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary as if the reference in subsection (2)(a) to preventing or detecting serious crime included a reference to the interests of national security. (2B) The matters to be taken into account in considering whether the requirements of subsection (2) are satisfied in the case of any authorisation shall include whether what it is thought necessary to achieve by the authorised action could reasonably be achieved by other means.

(6) In subsection (5) (the meaning of authorising officer)—

(a) after paragraph (e) there shall be inserted—

(ea) the Chief Constable of the Ministry of Defence Police; (eb) the Provost Marshal of the Royal Navy Regulating Branch; (ec) the Provost Marshal of the Royal Military Police; (ed) the Provost Marshal of the Royal Air Force Police; (ee) the Chief Constable of the British Transport Police;

;

(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(7) In subsection (6) (the meaning of relevant area), after paragraph (c) there shall be inserted—

(ca) in relation to a person within paragraph (ea), means any place where, under section 2 of the Ministry of Defence Police Act 1987, the members of the Ministry of Defence Police have the powers and privileges of a constable; (cb) in relation to a person within paragraph (ee), means the United Kingdom;

(8) After that subsection there shall be inserted—

(6A) For the purposes of any authorisation by a person within paragraph (eb), (ec) or (ed) of subsection (5) property is in the relevant area or action in respect of wireless telegraphy is taken in the relevant area if, as the case may be— (a) the property is owned, occupied, in the possession of or being used by a person subject to service discipline; or (b) the action is taken in relation to the use of wireless telegraphy by such a person. (6B) For the purposes of this section a person is subject to service discipline— (a) in relation to the Royal Navy Regulating Branch, if he is subject to the Naval Discipline Act 1957 or is a civilian to whom Parts I and II of that Act for the time being apply by virtue of section 118 of that Act ; (b) in relation to the Royal Military Police, if he is subject to military law or is a civilian to whom Part II of the Army Act 1955 for the time being applies by virtue of section 209 of that Act; and (c) in relation to the Royal Air Force Police, if he is subject to air-force law or is a civilian to whom Part II of the Air Force Act 1955 for the time being applies by virtue of section 209 of that Act.

Surveillance etc. operations beginning in Scotland

76

(1) Subject to subsection (2), where—

(a) an authorisation under the relevant Scottish legislation has the effect of authorising the carrying out in Scotland of the conduct described in the authorisation,

(b) the conduct so described is or includes conduct to which Part II of this Act applies, and

(c) circumstances arise by virtue of which some or all of the conduct so described can for the time being be carried out only outwith Scotland,

section 27 of this Act shall have effect for the purpose of making lawful the carrying out outwith Scotland of the conduct so described as if the authorisation, so far as is it relates to conduct to which that Part applies, were an authorisation duly granted under that Part.

(2) Where any such circumstances as are mentioned in paragraph (c) of subsection (1) so arise as to give effect outwith Scotland to any authorisation granted under the relevant Scottish legislation, that authorisation shall not authorise any conduct outwith Scotland at any time after the end of the period of three weeks beginning with the time when the circumstances arose.

(3) Subsection (2) is without prejudice to the operation of subsection (1) in relation to any authorisation on the second or any subsequent occasion on which any such circumstances as are mentioned in subsection (1)(c) arise while the authorisation remains in force.

(4) In this section “the relevant Scottish legislation” means an enactment contained in or made under an Act of the Scottish Parliament which makes provision, corresponding to that made by Part II, for the authorisation of conduct to which that Part applies.

Supplemental

Ministerial expenditure etc

77

There shall be paid out of money provided by Parliament—

(a) any expenditure incurred by the Secretary of State for or in connection with the carrying out of his functions under this Act; and

(b) any increase attributable to this Act in the sums which are payable out of money so provided under any other Act.

Orders, regulations and rules

78

(1) This section applies to any power of the Secretary of State or the Lord Chancellor to make any order, regulations or rules under any provision of this Act.

(2) The powers to which this section applies shall be exercisable by statutory instrument.

(3) A statutory instrument which contains any order made in exercise of a power to which this section applies (other than the power to appoint a day under section 83(2)) but which contains neither—

(a) an order a draft of which has been approved for the purposes of section ... ... 28(5), 29(6), 30(7), 32A(7), 35(5), 41(6), 47(2), 66(3), 67(11) , 71(9) or 76A(9) nor

(b) the order to which section 35(7) applies,

shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

(4) A statutory instrument containing any regulations made in exercise of a power to which this section applies (other than regulations under section 67A(5)) shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

(4A) A statutory instrument containing regulations under section 67A(5) may not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, each House of Parliament.

(5) Any order, regulations or rules made in exercise of a power to which this section applies may—

(a) make different provisions for different cases;

(b) contain such incidental, supplemental, consequential and transitional provision as the Secretary of State or (as the case may be) the Lord Chancellor thinks fit.

Criminal liability of directors etc

79

(1) Where an offence under any provision of this Act other than a provision of Part III is committed by a body corporate and is proved to have been committed with the consent or connivance of, or to be attributable to any neglect on the part of—

(a) a director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body corporate, or

(b) any person who was purporting to act in any such capacity,

he (as well as the body corporate) shall be guilty of that offence and liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.

(2) Where an offence under any provision of this Act other than a provision of Part III—

(a) is committed by a Scottish firm, and

(b) is proved to have been committed with the consent or connivance of, or to be attributable to any neglect on the part of, a partner of the firm,

he (as well as the firm) shall be guilty of that offence and liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.

(3) In this section “director”, in relation to a body corporate whose affairs are managed by its members, means a member of the body corporate.

General saving for lawful conduct

80

Nothing in any of the provisions of this Act by virtue of which conduct of any description is or may be authorised by any warrant, authorisation or notice, or by virtue of which information may be obtained in any manner, shall be construed—

(a) as making it unlawful to engage in any conduct of that description which is not otherwise unlawful under this Act and would not be unlawful apart from this Act;

(b) as otherwise requiring—

(i) the issue, grant or giving of such a warrant, authorisation or notice, or

(ii) the taking of any step for or towards obtaining the authority of such a warrant, authorisation or notice,

before any such conduct of that description is engaged in; or

(c) as prejudicing any power to obtain information by any means not involving conduct that may be authorised under this Act.

General interpretation

81

(1) In this Act—

“apparatus” has the same meaning as in the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (see section 263(1) of that Act);

“Assistant Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis” includes the Deputy Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis;

“civil proceedings” means any proceedings in or before any court or tribunal that are not criminal proceedings;

“communication” includes—... anything transmitted by means of a postal service;anything comprising speech, music, sounds, visual images or data of any description; andsignals serving either for the impartation of anything between persons, between a person and a thing or between things or for the actuation or control of any apparatus;

“criminal”, in relation to any proceedings ..., shall be construed in accordance with subsection (4);

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

“document” includes a map, plan, design, drawing, picture or other image;

“enactment” includes—an enactment passed after the passing of this Act; andan enactment contained in Northern Ireland legislation;

“GCHQ” has the same meaning as in the Intelligence Services Act 1994;

“Her Majesty’s forces” has the same meaning as in the Armed Forces Act 2006;

“intelligence service” means the Security Service, the Secret Intelligence Service or GCHQ;

“interception” and cognate expressions shall be construed (so far as it is applicable) in accordance with section 2 sections 4 and 5 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016;

“interception warrant” means— a targeted interception warrant or mutual assistance warrant under Chapter 1 of Part 2 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016, ora bulk interception warrant under Chapter 1 of Part 6 of that Act;

“the Investigatory Powers Commissioner” and “Judicial Commissioner” have the same meanings as in the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (see section 263(1) of that Act);

“justice of the peace” does not include a justice of the peace in Northern Ireland;

“legal proceedings” means civil or criminal proceedings in or before any court or tribunal or proceedings before an officer in respect of a service offence within the meaning of the Armed Forces Act 2006;

“modification” includes alterations, additions and omissions, and cognate expressions shall be construed accordingly;

“person” includes any organisation and any association or combination of persons;

“police force” means any of the following—any police force maintained under section 2 of the Police Act 1996 (police forces in England and Wales outside London);the metropolitan police force;the City of London police force; the Police Service of Scotland; the Royal Ulster Constabulary;the Ministry of Defence Police;the Royal Navy Police;the Royal Military Police;the Royal Air Force Police;the British Transport Police;

“postal service” and “public postal service” have the meanings given by section 2(1); “postal service” has the same meaning as in the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (see section 262(7) of that Act);

“public authority” means any public authority within the meaning of section 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998 (acts of public authorities) other than a court or tribunal;

“senior official” means, subject to subsection (7), a member of the Senior Civil Service or a member of the Senior Management Structure of Her Majesty’s Diplomatic Service;

“statutory”, in relation to any power or duty, means conferred or imposed by or under any enactment or subordinate legislation;

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