Report of the Interception of Communications Commissioner - March 2015
and communications data activities to which RIPA 2000 Part I relates however sensitive
these may be.
Prisons
2.16 My functions also by convention include the oversight of the interception of
prisoners’ communications within prisons. This is lawful interception under section 47 of
the Prison Act 1952 and section 13 of the Prison Act (Northern Ireland) 1953 (prison rules)
– see section 4(4) of RIPA 2000. My oversight of interception in prisons in England, Wales
and Northern Ireland (but not at the moment Scotland) is by non-statutory agreement
between the prison authorities and my predecessors.
Support to the Commissioner
2.17 Under section 57(7) of RIPA 2000, the Secretary of State is obliged to consult with
me and to make such technical facilities available to me and, subject to Treasury approval
as to numbers, to provide me with such staff as are sufficient to ensure that I am able
properly to carry out my functions.
2.18 I am supported in my role by the Head of IOCCO Joanna Cavan, a team of nine
IOCCO inspectors and two secretarial staff. The inspectors are independent, highly
skilled and experienced in the principles and detail of RIPA Part I. The inspectors have
been recruited from a wide variety of backgrounds, and bring with them a broad range
of experience working with police forces, intelligence and law enforcement agencies,
industry regulators, universities and telecommunications-related private organisations.
Their experience covers analytical expertise, criminal and counter-terrorism investigations,
forensic telecommunications, training and lecturing in both the technical and legislative
aspects of communications data and covert investigations, and acting as accredited
Single Points of Contact (SPoCs), Senior Responsible Officers (SROs) and Designated
Persons (DPs).
2.19 My office has a strategic relationship with the Communication Service Providers
(CSPs). This greatly assists us to carry out thorough inspections of the requirements made
of them to disclose communications data and their ability to comply with warrants relating
to the interception of communications. For example, on a regular basis the CSPs share
with us their audit files which contain the name of the public authority acquiring data, the
reference number of the request, the data description and the statutory purpose used.
This information allows us to perform a back audit when inspecting public authorities to
check that there is a corresponding authorisation in place and its scope.
2.20 On a number of occasions over the past two years we have sought the advice
of, or commissioned, experts to assist us to carry out our independent inquiries and
oversight. Our recent work on the journalist inquiry (see section 7) and some of last year’s
work in relation to the Snowden-related media revelations has demonstrated the value
www.iocco-uk.info
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