Interception
of Communications Act 1985
c. 56
11
11.-(1) For section 45 of the 1984 Act (interception and Amendments,
disclosure of messages etc.) there shall be substituted the section saving and
repeal.
set out in Schedule 2 to this Act.
(2) In section 58 of the Post Office Act 1953 (opening or
1953 c. 36.
delaying of postal packets by officers of Post Office)(a) for the words " an express warrant in writing under the
hand of a Secretary of State " in subsection (1) ; and
(b) for the words " a warrant in writing under the hand of
a Secretary of State " in subsection (2),
there shall be substituted the words " a warrant issued by the
Secretary of State under section 2 of the Interception of Communications Act 1985 ".
(3) In paragraph 1(1) of Schedule 5 to the Post Office Act 1969 1969 c. 48.
(repair of minor deficiencies in certain Acts) for the words " in
obedience to a warrant under the hand of a Secretary of State "
there shall be substituted the words " in obedience to a warrant
issued by the Secretary of State under section 2 of the Interception of Communications Act 1985 or in pursuance of a requirement imposed by the Commissioner under section 8(3) of that
Act ".
(4) For the avoidance of doubt it is hereby declared that nothing in this Act (except subsections (2) and (3) above) affects any
power conferred on the Post Office by or under any enactment to
open, detain or delay any postal packet or to deliver any such
packet to a person other than the person to whom it is addressed.
(5) Section 4 of the Official Secrets Act 1920 (power to require
the production of telegrams) is hereby repealed.
1920 c. 75.
12.-(1) This Act may be cited as the Interception of Com- Short
title,
commence-
munications Act 1985.
ment and
(2) This Act shall come into force on such day as the Secretary extent.
of State may by order made by statutory instrument appoint.
(3) This Act extends to Northern Ireland.
(4) Her Majesty may by Order in Council direct that any of
the provisions of this Act specified in the Order shall extend to
the Isle of Man or any of the Channel Islands with such excep.
tions, adaptations and modifications as may be so specified.