§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what controls exist to regulate the interception by MI5 of signals from pagers. [71492]
§ Mr. StrawIn accordance with section 5(b) of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949, members of the Security Service may, in the course of their duty as Crown Servants, use wireless telegraphy apparatus to obtain information as to the contents, sender or addressee of any message sent by means of pager. They may do so only in the performance of the Service's functions as laid down in the Security Service Act 1989, and as with any other kind of information obtained by the Service, the disclosure of the product from such interception is regulated by the terms of that Act. In addition, the interception of such messages is subject to the mechanisms established by the Act for dealing with complaints.
656W