HC Deb 03 November 1998 vol 318 cc506-7W
Mr. Brake

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints have been made about the Security Service through the Security Service tribunal relating to telephone taps, letter intercepts and close surveillance in each of the last five years; and how many of the complaints made in each of those years has been upheld. [57913]

Mr. Straw

The available information regarding complaints about the Security Service made to the Security Service Tribunal is published in the Annual Reports of the Security Service Commissioner. The numbers are as follows:

Year Number of complaints received
1993 36
1994 42
1995 21
1996 34
1997 45

The table details the number of complaints relating to property received by the Security Service Tribunal and referred to the Commissioner in accordance with paragraph 4(1) of Schedule i to the Security Service Act 1989:

Year Number of complaints received
1993 11
1994 19
1995 12
1996 10
1997 14

The available information regarding complaints to the Interception of Communications Tribunal is published in the Annual Reports of the Interception Commissioner. The numbers are as follows:

Year Number of complaints received
1993 41
1994 37
1995 64

Year Number of complaints received
1996 52
1997 79

No determination in favour of a complainant has been made by either Tribunal.