Telephone Calls (Hansard, 19 December 1986)

§ Mr. Cohen
asked the Lord Privy Seal whether the log of telephone calls made within the Palace of Westminster is stored in machine readable form; how long copies will be kept; and where the log is kept.

§ Mr. Biffen
The telephone logging equipment which is attached to the Palace of Westminster telephone exchange stores the information on telephone calls in a machine readable form. The printing out of this information is subject to very close controls.
The equipment is capable of storing information only for the current month and the preceding month. When a print-out is taken it is kept only for as long as it is necessary to carry out the particular work for which it was obtained. The information logged for telephone extensions other than those in public places has not, and will not, be printed out without the specific authorisation of the person concerned. The equipment is located on the third floor of the Palace of Westminster.
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I also refer the hon. Member to the replies which I have already given on this subject to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell); on 5 and 10 December at columns 802 and 203.

§ Mr. Cohen
asked the Lord Privy Seal whether the system whereby telephone calls made within the Palace of Westminster are logged will be registered under the terms of the Data Protection Act.

§ Mr. Biffen
I am advised that the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984 do not apply to the information stored in the call logging equipment attached to the Palace of Westminster telephone exchange. The question of registration therefore does not apply.

§ Mr. Dalyell
asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will raise the matter of the alleged interceptions of hon. Members' telephones with the Select Committee on House of Commons Services; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Biffen
The tandem exchange referred to in the letter which the hon. Member read to the House on 15 December (Official Report, c. 824–5) forms part of the Government telecommunications network, and as such comes under the responsibility of the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has recently reiterated the assurances that have been given by successive Governments with regard to the interception of the telephone calls of Members of Parliament on 10 December 1986, at column 161. In these circumstances I do not consider it necessary or appropriate to raise this matter with the Services Committee.