§ Mr. CranTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) on how many occasions in each of the last five years electronic surveillance visual devices have been authorised for use in the Metropolitan police and in each of the provincial police forces;
(2) on how many occasions since the introduction of the guidelines on the use of equipment in police surveillance operations authorisation to use electronic surveillance listening and visual devices in the Metropolitan police has been given by officers other than the chief officer;
(3) on how many occasions in each of the last five years electronic surveillance listening devices have been authorised for use in the Metropolitan police and in each of the provincial police forces.
§ Mr. HurdThe use of surveillance equipment is a matter for the operational judgment of police forces acting in 757W accordance with the guidelines issued on 19 December 1984. The guidelines cover, inter alia, the principles governing the authorisation of such equipment. In particular the use of listening devices requires the personal authority of the chief constable, or of an assistant chief constable in a case where there is a degree of consent by one of the parties subject to the surveillance. The guidelines also make clear the arrangements for records of the authorisation of surveillance equipment to be kept by individual police forces. No statistics are kept centrally.
§ Mr. CranTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what control he exercises over the provincial police forces' use of electronic surveillance listening and visual devices other than that exercised by Her Majesty's inspectors of constabulary.
§ Mr. HurdThe guidelines issued on 19 December 1984, governing the use of equipment in police surveillance operations, apply to the Metropolitan police and to other police forces in England and Wales.
§ Mr. CranTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends to review the guidelines on the use of equipment in police surveillance operations in view of the technological advances that have taken place in electronic surveillance listening and visual devices since 1984.
§ Mr. HurdI have no plans at present to issue guidelines replacing those issued on 19 December 1984.
§ Mr. CranTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he receives regular reports from(a) Her Majesty's inspectors of constabulary and (b) the force inspectorate on the use by police forces of electronic surveillance listening and visual devices.
§ Mr. HurdAs part of their regular programme of inspection visits, Her Majesty's inspectors of constabulary satisfy themselves that the use of equipment in police surveillance operations follows the guidelines issued on 19 December 1984. I receive annual inspection reports covering this and other matters.
§ Mr. CranTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which Home Office organisations or agencies use electronic surveillance listening and visual devices other than the Metropolitan and provincial police forces.