| Synopsis: |
This publication contains a draft Communications Data Bill and Explanatory notes related to the Government's proposals to update the framework for ensuring the availability of communications data and regulatory regime governing how public authorities obtain this data. Communications data is information about a communication and includes data about a subscriber to a mobile phone or email account, the time, duration, originator and recipient of a communication and the location of a communication device from which a communication is made. Communications data is widely used by the police and other public authorities around the world and has played a vital role in counter-terrorism and serious crime cases, by enabling the police to understand activities, associates and movements of a person suspected of a crime.The Bill itself, is divided into three parts: Part 1: Ensuring or facilitating availability of data; Part 2: Regulatory regime for obtaining data; Part 3: Scrutiny and other provisions. It applies to the whole of the UK. |