88
A Democratic Licence to Operate
(including the installation of covert equipment) and explores scenarios with officers of
when tactics might be used. This often picks up issues where operatives may not have
realised that relevant legislation applies. This is very different to the level of scrutiny by
InSeC of the intelligence agencies.
4.68
According to the OSC’s 2013–14 annual report, 2,689 authorisations for property
interference were granted during this period, an increase of 249 on the previous
year (no applications were denied by the commissioners). 392 intrusive surveillance
authorisations were made, an increase of twenty (the commissioners denied two
authorisations). There was a significant increase in urgent authorisations, which were
used on 1,032 occasions; this, however, still only represents around 5 per cent of the
total number of authorisations granted.44 Directed surveillance was authorised on 9,664
occasions, with 1,484 extant on 31 March 2014. This was an increase on the previous
recording period when 9,515 authorisations were made with 1,118 extant. Directed
surveillance authorisation by other public authorities continued to decline – from 5,827
in 2012–13 to 4,412 in 2013–14.45
4.69
In total, 4,377 CHISs were authorised by policing and law-enforcement agencies. 3,523
were cancelled within the 2013–14 reporting period, which included some who may
have already been authorised in previous years. On the 31 March 2014, 3,025 remained
authorised. Very few other public authorities use CHISs (3.7 per cent), and fifty-three
remained authorised at the end of March 2014.46
The Information Commissioner’s Office
4.70
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has responsibility for promoting and
enforcing the DPA 1998 and the FOIA 2000, along with associated legislation such as the
Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 (PEC Regulations).
4.71
ICO’s goal is to achieve a society in which:47
•
•
•
All organisations which collect and use personal information do so responsibly,
securely and fairly
All public authorities are open and transparent, providing people with access to
official information as a matter of course
People are aware of their information rights and are confident in using them
44. Christopher Rose, Annual Report of the Chief Surveillance Commissioner to the Prime
Minister and to the Scottish Ministers for 2013–2014 (London: The Stationery Office,
2014), p. 10.
45. Ibid., p. 11.
46. Ibid., p. 13.
47. Christopher Graham, Information Commissioner’s Annual Report and Financial Statements
2013/14: Effective, Efficient – and Busier Than Ever (London: The Stationery Office, 2014).