HC Deb 09 February 1993 vol 218 cc524-5W
Mr. Cordon Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many warrants he has signed under the Interception of Communications Act 1985 for each year since 1986.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

I refer the hon. Member to the annexes to the reports of the Interception of Communications Commissioner for 1990 and 1991—Cm. 1489 and Cm. 1942

Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those who, other than himself, are empowered to sign warrants to intercept communications.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

By virtue of section 4 of the Interception of Communications Act 1985, warrants may be issued only under the hand of the Secretary of State or, in an urgent case where the Secretary of State has expressly authorised its issue, under the hand of an official of his department of or above the rank of Assistant Under-Secretary of State. In practice, warrants are usually issued by the Home Secretary, the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland or the Secretary of State for Scotland.