Thank you for contacting me about the Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill.
As you may know, the Government introduced the Investigatory Powers Act in 2016. This Act provides a framework for the use and oversight of investigatory powers by the intelligence services, law enforcement, and other public authorities. I am pleased that it also helps safeguard people’s privacy by including stringent controls over the way these powers are authorised and overseen.
I am sure you will agree that since 2016, technology has developed rapidly and the type of threats the UK faces continue to evolve. The Government has therefore concluded that the 2016 Act must be updated to reflect the reality of the current threat and technology landscape. The Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill will help to ensure that our intelligence services can develop the necessary tools and capabilities to rapidly identify intelligence insights from vast quantities of data, allowing them to better understand and respond to threats to the UK.
To do this, the Bill will improve this country's ability to anticipate public safety risks created by private sector technologies that preclude lawful access to data. It will also permit greater operational agility for the intelligence services and National Crime Agency.
At the same time, I am assured that the world-leading safeguards within the 2016 Act will be maintained and strengthened. The Investigatory Powers Commissioner, created in 2016 to monitor the use of investigatory powers, will be strengthened - with more of their functions placed on a statutory basis.