47. Extending the renewal interval from one month to three for serious crime
warrants has been of great benefit to MPSB and its customers. The extended
period is much more realistic in enabling MPSB to properly assess the
intelligence developed in connection with any particular target. Statistically,
MPSB warrants are now held for longer than in the past - typically over a period
of several months rather than days. However, this is a reflection of their new
approach to this type of work rather than a factor inspired by RIPA.
HM Customs and Excise (HMCE)
48. Changes in the warrantry administration system have been vital for
HMCE being able to maintain their effectiveness against targets using
disposable pre-paid mobile telephones.
●
Although modifications to the warrant were possible under the
Interception of Communications Act 1985, it was still a legal
requirement that the Home Secretary authorised all applications. RIPA
now permits a senior Home Office official to authorise modifications to
warrants, and consequently the processing of warrants should be much
quicker. The two or three week delay in the Home Office processing
modifications earlier this year - which negated the benefits of RIPA - has
now improved: increased staffing levels has enabled processing to take
place within satisfactory timescales.
●
A particularly important benefit has been the ability of HMCE officials
to modify warrants in urgent cases, particularly out of hours. This system
enabled them to respond quickly and has resulted in some major seizures
of class A drugs together with a number of arrests.
●
The administration burden involved in the monthly renewal of warrants
has been greatly reduced due to warrants being extant for three months
rather than one, and only one warrant per target now being necessary as
opposed to one warrant per telephone under the Interception of
Communications Act 1985.
●
However, I understand that the administrative burden has increased on
HMCE’s staff because they now have responsibility, as opposed to the
Home Office, for the service of warrants and schedules on the
communication service providers. Nonetheless, HMCE view the
administration system under RIPA as being much speedier and more
effective and efficient.
National Criminal Intelligence Service
49. In general the impact on NCIS has been beneficial and where there has
been extra burden this has been due to a reallocation of responsibility from
other areas of government. The extra burden has not been inordinate.
Warrantry
50. The main benefit for NCIS has been the change in the warrantry regime,
which warrants an individual rather than a device. This has benefited NCIS in
particular as most of their targets frequently change their communications
devices and also carry several at one time. The modification procedure is much
quicker and allows NCIS to keep up the intelligence flow.
51. A broad comparison between the year preceding RIPA and the year since
shows that prior to RIPA, NCIS had just over 600 warranted target addresses.
In the year after they had about 800 target addresses deriving from only just
over 400 warrants. This represents a significant increase in target coverage with
a reduction in warrantry which has in turn meant that the time taken in
warrantry has also reduced, further enhancing coverage.
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