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Investigatory Powers Commissioner ’s Annual Report 2019
5. Office for Communications
Data Authorisations
(OCDA) processes and
methodology
Overview
5.1
After two years of careful planning and a project delivery phase, the Office for
Communications Data Authorisations (OCDA) became operational on 26 March 2019. OCDA
operates out of two offices, in Manchester and Birmingham, from 7am to 10pm, seven days
a week, with a total complement of just over 100 staff. OCDA is a separate organisation
from IPCO but the Investigatory Powers Commissioner is responsible for the discharge of
the functions of both offices.
5.2
Over the course of 2019, OCDA managed the transition of over 600 authorities from the
Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) to the Investigatory Powers Act 2016
(IPA). This was a huge programme of organisational change which we ultimately found to
be highly successful. The authorities we work with range from those submitting fewer than
ten applications annually, through to the largest police forces, such as the Metropolitan
Police Service (MPS), who submit over 26,500 annually. Annex D includes a full breakdown
of communications data (CD) authorisations, which includes all applications that were
approved by OCDA. This means that the challenges, both logistically and in terms of training
and understanding, differ greatly across the requesting authorities.
5.3
We increased our workforce gradually during 2019, in line with the transition of authorities
from RIPA to the IPA. Our staff joined from a variety of different backgrounds including
law enforcement, other government departments, various private sector bodies as well
as direct entry graduates. The body of Authorising Individuals at OCDA comprise a range
of civil servants who have been trained to make and oversee decisions in relation to CD
applications. The majority of OCDA’s staff are Authorising Officers (AOs), who received a
structured programme of training to become OCDA Authorising Individuals. The AOs are
supervised by staff of a higher grade who also undertook the same training and are also
OCDA Authorising Individuals.
5.4
IPCO’s inspectorate supported the transition to independent authorisation by OCDA
alongside colleagues from the Home Office. Inspectors were extensively engaged in the
development of training material for the OCDA Authorising Individuals and delivered
specialist training during their induction period. As OCDA became operational, IPCO sent
Inspectors to OCDA’s offices to assist with any issues arising and to provide technical
advice. OCDA AOs also shadowed IPCO oversight inspections to gain a more thorough
understanding of the end to end process.