§ Mr. BatisteTo ask the Prime Minister when the annual report of the commissioner appointed under the Interception of Communications Act 1985 will be laid before the House; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Prime MinisterA copy of Sir Thomas Bingham's second annual report, for 1993, has been laid before the House today in accordance with section 8(7) of the Interception of Communications Act 1985. The confidential annexe to the report has been excluded from that copy in accordance with section 8(8) of the 1985 Act. I am grateful to the commissioner for his report. I note in particular his observations that the Secretaries of State take great care to satisfy themselves that the warrants are necessary for the purposes stated in the Act, and that the system for the issue of warrants is working as intended by Parliament.
Sir Thomas Bingham's appointment as commissioner will end on 10 April. I am grateful to him for the work he has done in that capacity. He will be succeeded, with effect from 11 April, by Lord Nolan.