§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many requests he has received to approve a warrant for the interception of a person's communications in each of the years since 1997; and how many he has refused. [17170]
§ Mr. BlunkettThe figures relating to the numbers of warrants issued are published annually in the reports of the Commissioners initially appointed under the Interception of Communications Act 1985 (IOCA) and now the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) Copies are placed in the Library.
Records of refusals or withdrawal of requests are not kept in a form which would enable the information requested to be extracted without disproportionate cost.