At-a-glance: Revised 'snoop' plans
According to the Home Office, the new proposals mean: - Five bodies, instead of the dozens originally proposed, will have "regulated access" to communications information: emergency ambulance services; fire authorities; Maritime and Coastguard Agency; Scottish Drugs Enforcement Agency; Atomic Energy Authority police
- Other organisations - such as trading standards departments - will have access only to names and addresses, not the actual information contained in a communication nor the source and destination
- A safeguard will be introduced allowing access to certain types of information, such as itemised telephone call records, only after approval by an independent third party, such as the Interception of Communications Commissioner
- Restrictions will also be placed on the circumstances in which public bodies can access communications information, for example to prevent and detect crime
- Only senior representatives of a public body, named in advance, will be able to authorise access
- Specialist training will be given to public bodies to ensure the protection of privacy and knowledge of the law
- Regular checks will be made on public bodies by the Interception of Communications Commissioner to make sure they are not abusing the access they have
- As a further guard against abuse, a specific criminal offence will be introduced
- Communication services providers will be urged to keep information for up to a year, although different time limits will apply for different types of information
- If the industry objects to the retention proposals, aimed at helping criminal investigations, the government will consider making them compulsory
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