The Information Commissioner has issued a statement expressing concern about possible government plans, as part of a centralised fight against crime and terrorism, to establish a database which would hold details of all UK phone calls, e-mails and internet records.
Following the announcement on 14 May of a proposed Bill on communications data retention for the prevention and detection of crime and the protection of national security, there have been reports in the press that the government may be planning to include new powers requiring telecoms companies and internet service providers to give it details of all communications.
The Home Office has said that preparations for the new Bill were ongoing and nothing concrete had been decided, but that changes were required to the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 to ensure that public authorities could obtain communications data essential for counter-terrorism and investigation of crime purposes.
The Information Commissioner said that he was not aware of any justification for the state to hold every UK citizen's phone and internet records, and that he had real doubts whether such a measure could be justified, or was proportionate or desirable.
Source: ICO statement, 19 May 2008.
