3. GENERAL RULES ON INTERCEPTION
WITH A WARRANT
3.1. Interception has lawful authority where it takes place in
accordance with a warrant issued under section 5 of RIPA. Chapter 9
of this code deals with the circumstances in which interception is
permitted without a warrant.
3.2. There are a limited number of persons who can make an
application for an interception warrant, or an application can be made
on their behalf. These are:
• The Director-General of the Security Service.
• The Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service.
• The Director of the Government Communications Headquarters
(GCHQ).
• The Director-General of the National Crime Agency (NCA
handles interception on behalf of law enforcement bodies in
England and Wales).
• The Chief Constable of the Police Service of Scotland.
• The Commissioner of the Police of the Metropolis (the
Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command handles
interception on behalf of Counter Terrorism Units, Special
Branches and some police force specialist units in England and
Wales).
• The Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
• The Commissioners of Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs
(HMRC).
• The Chief of Defence Intelligence.
• A person who, for the purposes of any international mutual
assistance agreement, is the competent authority of a country or
territory outside the UK.
3.3. Any application made on behalf of one of the above must be
made by a person holding office under the Crown.
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