Scrambling for Safety 7

A public meeting on the governments proposed regulations regarding
communications data

Organised by Privacy International &
the Foundation for Information Policy Research
Hosted by the Department of Information Systems of the LSE

Wednesday, 22nd October 2003
2.15 - 5.00

New Theatre, East Building,
London School of Economics
Houghton Street London WC2

All welcome
Entry is free
RSVP to simon@privacy.org

The London School of Economics will host a public meeting on October 22nd to assess proposed government legislation to retain and snoop on the communications and Internet activity of everyone in the UK

A series of Statutory Instruments were laid before Parliament last month intended to create a legal basis for comprehensive surveillance of communications. The LSE meeting, bringing together industry, rights advocates and a range of government agencies, will test the fairness and legality of the proposals. It will also comprehensively assess the implications of the proposals

The Home Office caused controversy last year when it attempted to allow a long list of public authorities to access records of individuals' telephone and Internet usage. This "communications data" -- phone numbers and e-mail addresses contacted, web sites visited, locations of mobile phones, etc. -- would have been available without any judicial oversight, under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. David Blunkett withdrew the proposals after the outcry, and promised to redraft them in a more sensitive and responsive manner.

There has also been ongoing argument about government powers to force telephone companies and Internet Service Providers to keep copies of such communications data. Under the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 the Home Secretary may require companies to store this data for long periods to allow retrospective access by intelligence and law enforcement agencies.

The meeting will also hear details of a new legal Opinion commissioned by Privacy International. The Opinion questions the legality of the government's proposals and suggests they may breach the Human Rights Act.

The public meeting will assess a number of key questions:

• Has the Home Office addressed any of the concerns expressed by the public last year?
  
• How much remains to be fixed? Are the Statutory Instruments a useful way forward? What further legislation might be required?
  
• How will government agencies use their new powers?
  
• Is it appropriate to use emergency powers to impose surveillance requirements on ISPs and phone companies?
  
• Are the government's proposals legal under the Human Rights Act?

Simon Davies, Director of Privacy International, commented: "The government believes it has an automatic right to snoop on a wide spectrum of very sensitive communications information. The public will doubtless have a different view. The proposals raise important questions about the right to privacy and the measures that must be taken to protect the individual".

Ian Brown, Director of the Foundation for Information Policy Research, said: "These proposals will affect every phone and Internet user in the UK. This meeting provides an important opportunity for the public to discuss them with government, industry and human rights groups before they potentially become law."DRAFT

PROGRAMME
(subject to change)

Chair: Dr Simon Moores, Zentelligence

2.15pm Panel: Overview and analysis of the proposals

• Richard Clayton (FIPR)
• Simon Watkin (Home Office)
• Bob Lack (Home Office)
  
  Q&A and discussion

2.50pm Panel: Government users - Who should be given surveillance powers?

• Richard Kitchen, Chief Investigation Officer, Department of Work and Pensions
• Paul Boyle, Information Rights Division, Department of Constitutional Affairs
• Bryan Lewin, Trading Standards Officer, Northamptonshire County Council
• TBA, Association of Chief Police Officers (invited)

  Q&A and discussion

3.30pm Break

3.45pm Legal opinion on data retention
Q&A and discussion

4.15pm Panel: the wider picture

• Lord Phillips of Sudbury
• Richard Allan MP
• Other Parliamentarians - TBA

5.00pm Close