§ 64. Mr. LYLEasked the Postmaster-General whether, under any circumstance, and, if so, what, the police are allowed access to telephone conversations intercepted by listeners-in?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYIn ordinary circumstances the answer is in the negative and I am not aware of any recent cases of the kind. If an application were made by the responsible police authorities that, in the interests of justice, the interception of calls to and from a particular number was necessary, the application would be considered by me.
§ Mr. KELLAWAYI cannot say offhand. It was a long time ago—it was not made to me, at any rate.
§ 65. Mr. LYLEasked the Postmaster-General the number of officials in any normal telephone exchange engaged in
§ Sir R. HORNEI was not aware of that fact.
§ Following is the statement promised:
§ the practice of listening-in with the object of checking calls; whether there is any reason for this practice; whether intercepted conversations are used by the Post Office and for what purpose; to whom access to them is permitted; how is the record ultimately destroyed; and whether any subscriber can guarantee privacy for what he wishes to be a private conversation?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYAs I stated in my answer to the Noble Lord the Member for Battersea South on the 21st of last month, listening-in is only resorted to at the request of, or by agreement with, the subscriber, when the subscriber requires evidence of the unauthorised use of his telephone. No staff is employed specially for this purpose.