Are the Police in the UK getting permission for telephone taps without evidence?

Question

Anybody work for the telephone companies can indicate if there is an increased number of intercepts?

Is a different software method being used?

Or is it just to record the numbers of incoming calls to a certain telephone number?

Is it used for political cases, malcious complaints by enemies, business rivals doing the dirty on one another, or is it secret agents of the Government spying on the local population for the Americans?

Answer 1

Authority to intercept communications can only be given by the Secretary of State personally. Where the warrant is the result of a request for assistance made under an international mutual assistance agreement and where the subject or premises to which the interception relates appear to be outside the United Kingdom, authority may be given by a senior official. Such authority can only be given to those persons specified in Section 6(2) of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. They are:

the Director-General of the Security Service;

the Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service;

the Director of the Government Communications Head Quarters;

the Director-General of the National Criminal Intelligence Service;

the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis;

the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (now the Police Service of Northern Ireland);

the chief constable of any police force maintained under or by virtue of section 1 of the Police (Scotland) Act 1967;

the Commissioners of Customs and Excise;

the Chief of Defence Intelligence; and

a person who, for the purposes of any international mutual assistance agreement, is the competent authority of a country or territory outside the United Kingdom.

Authority can only be given where the Secretary of State is satisfied that the interception is necessary:

(a) in the interests of national security;

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

(c) for the purpose of safeguarding the economic well being of the United Kingdom;

(d) in circumstances where he would issue a warrant under (b) above, to give effect to an international mutual legal assistance agreement.

The interception of communications is subject to oversight by the Interception of Communications Commissioner.

The Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Interception of Communications: Code of Practice) Order 2002 was laid before Parliament on 8 May 2002. The Code of Practice sets out in further detail the procedure, safeguards and oversight regimes governing the lawful interception of communications in the United Kingdom.

Answer 2

The National Criminal Investigation bureau in the UK has the automatic power to monitor the telephones of known criminal gangs without obtaining a warrant,as does the Anti-Terrorist Branch but,this is not legal if it is just done randomly on members of the public without a court order and,they do not usually do it.
This covers mobile phones as well,they can demand to see all records from your service provider legally,as with your Internet provider.
This will come under the Telecommunications act.

Answer 3

being american and having this in place now for 2 years they use key words and they will monitor the highest threat group more than the average citizen!they have been doing this since the invention of the telephone! they just now admit it and put it in our patriot act! so my guess is the same with you! it's not for the americans it is for civilized society to have the right to not be threatened by a outside source! they don't care about fred sleeping with wilma! and if your not doing anything why would you care ? they are just admitting it now is all but it has always been!

Answer 4

LoL - Surveliance is governed by RIPA 2000 act. As for permisson to do it. There are stirct guideline and permission is granted at a high level. It not something some just says "hey lets listen in on this before we have a cup of tea".

Answer 5

They might be getting the permission soon. Who knows? All we need is to be aware of the lawful interceptions. We as citizens must know the law and protest if we think that it is not appropriate to have this kind of law which invades the privacy.

Answer 6

Telephone tapping is prohibited if without the consent of the person talking. It is not admissible as evidence when presented in court.