§ The Earl of Northeskasked Her Majesty's Government:
In the context of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, what progress is being made, both at United Kingdom Government level and European Union-wide, in negotiations to harmonise European and United States data protection procedures. [HL3910]
§ Lord Bassam of BrightonThe Government are seeking to encourage greater co-operation, on an international level, on matters relating to the criminal exploitation of methods for protecting data and communications, such as strong encryption. This forms part of a package of measures the Government are putting in place to help deal with the threat posed by rising criminal use of new technologies. Encouraging the development of such a new international framework was a specific recommendation contained in the May 1999 reportEncryption and Law Enforcement, published by the Cabinet Office Performance and Innovation Unit.
Government officials have engaged in bilateral exchanges with, for example, the European Commission and the United States and through the informal G5 Information Security Group comprising France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom. In addition, United States Government and industry representatives attended the second United Kingdom Government-Industry Forum on Encryption and Law Enforcement on 9 May 2000, and United Kingdom officials will attend a similar event in the United States during October. My right honourable friend the Home Secretary and my honourable friend the Minister of State for the Home Office (Mr Clarke) have been in contact with the Attorney General of the United States of America and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation respectively about the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 following Royal Assent.