26
Investigatory Powers Commissioner’s Annual Report 2019
Five Eyes
4.15
The annual Five Eyes International Oversight Review Council (FIORC) was hosted by IPCO in
late 2019. We were delighted all five participating countries were represented (Australia,
Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the USA). We agreed some key areas of work to focus
on throughout the year to improve our understanding of the ways we work. Participants
continue to meet virtually but the next council meeting in October 2020 has been cancelled
due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sir Adrian Fulford with FIORC participants in October 2019
4.16
In December 2018, we responded to a request from the Royal Commission into the
Management of Police Informants (RCMPI) which had been established in Victoria,
Australia. The Commission wrote to the IPC for guidance on how CHIS activity is
regulated and overseen in the UK. Lord Hughes provided our response, which included a
teleconference with Australian officials where he gave an overview of the statutory basis
in RIPA and explained how our Inspectors are able to oversee reliance on RIPA powers
at inspection. The importance of safeguards around legally privileged material was a key
focus of our response, as we believe this is a central pillar and a key strength of the UK’s
model. We expect to continue to work with RCMPI as they reach the stage of making
recommendations for a future regime of management and governance for CHIS in Australia.
4.17
Australia’s Independent National Security Legislation Monitor (INSLM),16 Dr James Renwick,
visited London in November 2019 as part of his consultation for the Review of Australian
Telecommunications legislation (TOLA Act 2018). Dr Renwick visited a number of countries,
including the UK, to explore the different statutory models for the regulation of the use of
modern digital investigatory powers. The Investigatory Powers Commissioner explained
16 Independent National Security Legislation Monitor (2019), https://www.inslm.gov.au/