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While Liberty understands the importance of this data in the prevention and detection of serious crime and terrorism, it has voiced concerns about the dangers of centralising this data since the proposals were announced by the Home Office in October 2008.

Shami Chakrabarti, Director of Liberty, said:

“We applaud the Home Office climb-down on the super Big Brother database and thank the broad coalition of sensible voices who brought it about. It is a clear signal that the public interest in personal privacy can no longer be ignored. However, if companies are to be required to hold even more information than they do at present, concerns about access and use become even more important.”

“Let us look forward to this U-turn on communications data being followed by limiting DNA retention, dumping ID cards and a less callous approach to privacy protection more generally.”

Communications service providers (CSPs) already hold large amounts of communications data and an EU directive that came into force earlier this month now requires that data is retained for 12 months. The Government is now proposing that data generated by communications services based overseas by crossing networks in the UK be collected and retained by CSPs.

Contact Mairi Clare Rodgers on 020 7378 3656 or 07973831128

NOTES TO EDITORS

1) The Home Office consultation ‘Protecting the Public in a Changing Communications Environment’ is available here http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/about-us/news/communications-data-consultation

2) An EU Directive requiring service providers in the UK to store communications data for 12 months was transposed into UK law by the Electronic Communications Data (EC Directive) Regulations 2008.This came into force on 6 April 2009. The transposition of the Directive essentially formalises the voluntary agreement between the Government and service providers which has been in place since 2003. Under the regulations service providers are now required to retain communications data for 12 months.

3) The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) regulates the use and access of surveillance by public bodies. Communications data is just one type of surveillance which is regulated under the Act. Under RIPA hundreds of public bodies have access to communications data including over 400 local authorities. On 17 April the Government announced a long-overdue review of the RIPA which will look at, among other things, the purposes for which local authorities have access to surveillance and the types of surveillance they can use.