§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to render it a criminal offence to use mobile electronic eavesdropping equipment to obtain confidential information from commercial organisations for the purposes of deriving financial gain from such information; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HurdAs my predecessor announced in the House on 12 March 1985, at column157, the Government intend, when an opportunity occurs, to introduce legislation based on the Law Commission's proposals that people who obtain information by "improper means"—which includes the use of mobile electronic eavesdropping equipment and other surveillance devices—would be subject to an obligation not to use or disclose that information. Under the Law Commission's proposals a person who breached this obligation would not be committing a criminal offence but would be liable at civil law to an action for breach of confidence.