§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times per year he estimates that chief constables will exercise the powers granted to them in part III of the Police Bill; and if he will make a statement. [11236]
§ Mr. MacleanFigures are not held centrally on the number of authorisations. However, an exercise undertaken to inform debate on the Police Bill confirmed that, in 1995, there were approximately 2,100 chief officer authorisations by police and customs of intrusive surveillance operations in the United Kingdom.