Investigatory Powers Commissioner ’s Annual Report 2019
4. Communications and
engagement
Overview
4.1
Engagement with external organisations, both domestic and international, remains a
priority for the Investigatory Powers Commissioner (IPC). Throughout 2019, we met with a
range of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), academics, international oversight bodies
and other independent bodies. Though there are inevitably limitations due to national
security requirements, we feel there is real value in the continued cooperation with
international partners; we have shared best practice in oversight regimes and learned from
others’ practices. This has included supporting gatherings of intelligence oversight bodies
based overseas. The full schedule of the IPC’s engagements is found at Annex E.
4.2
Our external communications increased towards the end of 2019 with regular
announcements published on our website. These articles outlined the activity of the IPC,
including contributions at conferences and events, and highlighted important areas of work
for the organisation.
4.3
In the latter half of 2019, we appointed a Head of Communications and Engagement who
has led on developing strategies for the organisation to improve transparency and increase
engagement. This was a new role, which we hope will allow us to engage more widely and
more consistently in the future to a range of partners and interested parties.
UK engagement
4.4
UK engagement has been a priority for both the Investigatory Powers Commissioner’s
Office (IPCO) and the Office for Communications Data Authorisations (OCDA) during the
period of transition to the Investigatory Powers Act (IPA). The primary focus through this
period has been HMG and national-level bodies involved in reviewing and issuing guidance
on the use of covert powers, the authorities using those powers and NGOs with a particular
interest in the UK’s activities in this area and the impact on human rights.
4.5
Reprieve, a legal charity which challenges the use of torture around the world, met with
the IPC in 2019 and again later in the year with other senior staff at IPCO. Conversations
centred on The Principles and the collection of data by IPCO. Reprieve’s comments were
welcomed in relation to IPCO’s oversight of the Consolidated Guidance and details of their
challenge are included in IPCO’s 2018 report.10 The IPC hopes that conversations like this
will continue to help increase the transparency around IPCO’s work, debunking some of the
myths around oversight.
10 Reprieve have raised concerns about the government’s policies to prohibit involvement in torture and have
questioned the balance of transparency and secrecy taken by parts of government, including the MOD,
Intelligence Agencies and IPCO. Reprieve, “Review of UK Torture policy launched in U-turn from Theresa May”
(2018), https://reprieve.org.uk/update/review-of-uk-torture-policy-launched-in-u-turn-from-theresa-may/
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