§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if, in the light of the recent High Court judgment on the activities of the police and the Post Office telecommunication authorities, he will introduce legislation to clarify the law on telephone tapping;
(2) what action he has taken since the European Court's judgment in 1978 ruling that adequate and effective guarantees against abuse must be made in the area of police and Government-sponsored listening-in on private telephone conversations;
(3) if he is satisfied his powers over the national telecommunication system do not contravene the European Convention on Human Rights.
§ Mr. Robin F. Cookasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his intentions 3W to legislate on telephone tapping, in the light of Sir Robert Megarry's recent judgment.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether in the light of the decision in the High Court by Sir Robert Megarry, he will introduce legislation to deal with the anomalies and illegalities connected with telephone tapping.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesI have nothing to add to the answer I gave to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Handsworth (Mr. Lee) on 8 March.—[Vol. 963, c.750–51.]