§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the nature of the representations he has received recently from business interests in respect of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill. [126305]
§ Mr. StrawI have received various representations from business interests since the introduction of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill to the House of Commons on 9 February this year. They have supported the broad aims of the Bill. Most have pressed for changes to minimise the uncertainty over the impact of Clause 12 (maintenance of a reasonable intercept capability). The Clause has been amended in response to some of these representations. The Alliance for Electronic Business pressed for affirmative resolution for the order under Clause 12. This was provided by amendment at Commons Report. We have also amended the Bill to require the Secretary of State to meet the marginal costs of interception. Some businesses have also asked for reassurances which have been given as to how we intend the regime to work. Others are pressing us about the costs of maintaining a reasonable intercept capability on the internet.
148WBusiness interests have also pressed for some changes to Part III of the Bill in relation to access to encryption keys. Changes have been made to Part III in response to these representations. For example, the Bill has been amended to say that keys can be accessed only "in special circumstances" as a direct response to industry representations. Amendments designed to clarify what should be contained in a decryption notice and to remove the Directors' liability in respect of Part III of the Bill were also a response to industry representations.