§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether his current arrangements for interception of communications extend to the surveillance of data stored on, and transmitted to and from, computers; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will list his powers to authorise the surveillance of data bases and communications other than via the post and telephone communications; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BrittanMy powers to authorise under warrant the interception of communications extend only to the postal and public telecommunications systems, but cover any form of communication in those systems, including the transmission through them of computer data. I have no such powers to authorise access to data stored on computers or to other forms of data base.