talk about "not getting it". C
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Government responded to “Repeal the new Surveillance laws
(Investigatory Powers Act)”
Date: Wed, 30 Nov 2016 02:36:48 +0000
From: Petitions: UK Government and Parliament
<no-re...@petition.parliament.uk>
To: ad...@firsthand.net
You’re receiving this email because you signed this petition: “Repeal
the new Surveillance laws (Investigatory Powers Act)”.
To unsubscribe from this petition:
https://petition.parliament.uk/signatures/28470808/unsubscribe?token=fc3d1eHuYkL7ojLBGAaO
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Dear Christian de Larrinaga,
The Government has responded to the petition you signed – “Repeal the
new Surveillance laws (Investigatory Powers Act)
<https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/173199>”.
Government responded:
The Investigatory Powers Act dramatically increases transparency
around the use of investigatory powers. It protects both privacy and
security and underwent unprecedented scrutiny before becoming law.
The Government is clear that, at a time of heightened security
threat, it is essential our law enforcement, security and
intelligence services have the powers they need to keep people safe.
The Investigatory Powers Act transforms the law relating to the use
and oversight of Investigatory powers. It strengthens safeguards and
introduces world-leading oversight arrangements.
The Act does three key things. First, it brings together powers
already available to law enforcement and the security and
intelligence agencies to obtain communications and data about
communications. It makes these powers – and the safeguards that
apply to them – clear and understandable.
Second, it radically overhauls the way these powers are authorised
and overseen. It introduces a ‘double-lock’ for the most intrusive
powers, including interception and all of the bulk capabilities, so
warrants require the approval of a Judicial Commissioner. And it
creates a powerful new Investigatory Powers Commissioner to oversee
how these powers are used.
Third, it ensures powers are fit for the digital age. The Act makes
a single new provision for the retention of internet connection
records in order for law enforcement to identify the communications
service to which a device has connected. This will restore
capabilities that have been lost as a result of changes in the way
people communicate.
Public scrutiny
The Bill was subject to unprecedented scrutiny prior to and during
its passage.
The Bill responded to three independent reports: by David Anderson
QC, the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation; by the Royal
United Services Institute’s Independent Surveillance Review Panel;
and by the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament. All
three of those authoritative independent reports agreed a new law
was needed.
The Government responded to the recommendations of those reports in
the form of a draft Bill, published in November 2015. That draft
Bill was submitted for pre-legislative scrutiny by a Joint Committee
of both Houses of Parliament. The Intelligence and Security
Committee and the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee
conducted parallel scrutiny. Between them, those Committees received
over 1,500 pages of written submissions and heard oral evidence from
the Government, industry, civil liberties groups and many others.
The recommendations made by those Committees informed changes to the
Bill and the publication of further supporting material.
A revised Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 1 March,
and completed its passage on 16 November, meeting the timetable for
legislation set by Parliament during the passage of the Data
Retention and Investigatory Powers Act 2014. Over 1,700 amendments
to the Bill were tabled and debated during this time.
The Government has adopted an open and consultative approach
throughout the passage of this legislation, tabling or accepting a
significant number of amendments in both Houses of Parliament in
order to improve transparency and strengthen privacy protections.
These included enhanced protections for trade unions and
journalistic and legally privileged material, and the introduction
of a threshold to ensure internet connection records cannot be used
to investigate minor crimes.
Privacy and Oversight
The Government has placed privacy at the heart of the Investigatory
Powers Act. The Act makes clear the extent to which investigatory
powers may be used and the strict safeguards that apply in order to
maintain privacy.
A new overarching ‘privacy clause’ was added to make absolutely
clear that the protection of privacy is at the heart of this
legislation. This privacy clause ensures that in each and every case
a public authority must consider whether less intrusive means could
be used, and must have regard to human rights and the particular
sensitivity of certain information. The powers can only be exercised
when it is necessary and proportionate to do so, and the Act
includes tough sanctions – including the creation of new criminal
offences – for those misusing the powers.
The safeguards in this Act reflect the UK’s international reputation
for protecting human rights. The unprecedented transparency and the
new safeguards – including the ‘double lock’ for the most sensitive
powers – set an international benchmark for how the law can protect
both privacy and security.
Home Office
Click this link to view the response online:
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/173199?reveal_response=yes
This petition has over 100,000 signatures. The Petitions Committee will
consider it for a debate. They can also gather further evidence and
press the government for action.
The Committee is made up of 11 MPs, from political parties in government
and in opposition. It is entirely independent of the Government. Find
out more about the Committee:
https://petition.parliament.uk/help#petitions-committee
Thanks,
The Petitions team
UK Government and Parliament
------------------------------------------------------------------------
You’re receiving this email because you signed this petition: “Repeal
the new Surveillance laws (Investigatory Powers Act)”.
To unsubscribe from this petition:
https://petition.parliament.uk/signatures/28470808/unsubscribe?token=fc3d1eHuYkL7ojLBGAaO
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