§ Mr. CranTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answer of 17 May,Official Report, column 377, what are (a) the necessary equipment performance requirements laid down by his Department and (b) the frequencies made available to users of radio surveillance equipment.
§ Mr. ButcherThere is a range of equipment performance specifications published by the Department and made available from its radiocommunications division's library. The appropriate specifications and frequencies available would depend on the precise purpose to which the equipment is to be put. For example, surveillance equipment may be used to counter criminal activities—by anti-theft devices in retail outlets for instance—or for monitoring the performance of malfunctioning of machinery and industrial processes.
§ Mr. CranTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what measures are taken by his Department to establish that licensed radio surveillance equipment is being used for legal purposes.
§ Mr. ButcherThe Wireless Telegraphy Acts are primarily concerned with preventing radio interference. Illegal surveillance of the kind that I think my hon. Friend has in mind is intended to go undetected and, therefore, would be unlikely to cause interference. The investigation of offences under other legislation would be a matter for the police.