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Draft Communications Data Bill cannot proceed - Nick Clegg | Draft Communications Data Bill cannot proceed - Nick Clegg |
(35 minutes later) | |
Plans to give police and intelligence services the power to monitor all email and internet use in the UK need a "fundamental rethink", Nick Clegg says. | |
The deputy prime minister said he would block the draft Communications Data Bill and push for plans ensuring "the balance between security and liberty". | |
His comments came as a committee of MPs and peers criticised the bill's scope. | His comments came as a committee of MPs and peers criticised the bill's scope. |
The Home Office said the new laws were needed "without delay" to stop serious crimes such as terrorism. | The Home Office said the new laws were needed "without delay" to stop serious crimes such as terrorism. |
Home Secretary Theresa May has warned that critics of the plans are "putting politics before people's lives". | |
Under the plans, internet service providers would have to store details of all online communication in the UK, such as the time, duration, originator and recipient of a communication and the location of the device from which it was made. | Under the plans, internet service providers would have to store details of all online communication in the UK, such as the time, duration, originator and recipient of a communication and the location of the device from which it was made. |
Police would not need to seek permission to access this, if investigating a crime, but they would require a warrant to be able to see the content of any messages. | |
'Safeguards' | |
A report from the Joint Committee on the Draft Communications Bill, made up of MPs and peers, accepted a new law was needed to help police fight crime and tackle security threats organised online. | |
But it warned ministers would be able to demand "limitless categories of data" unless the draft bill was amended. | |
It called for "safeguards" over the new powers to prevent abuse and accused the government of producing estimates of the cost of implementing the bill that were not "robust" enough. | |
The "net benefit figure" was "fanciful and misleading", it said. | |
The MPs and peers added that the draft bill paid "insufficient attention to the duty to respect the right to privacy" and went "much further than it need or should for the purpose of providing necessary and justifiable official access to communications data". | |
Mr Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader, said the committee had raised "a number of serious criticisms - not least on scope, proportionality, cost, checks and balances, and the need for much wider consultation". | Mr Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader, said the committee had raised "a number of serious criticisms - not least on scope, proportionality, cost, checks and balances, and the need for much wider consultation". |
"It is for those reasons that I believe the coalition government needs to have a fundamental rethink about this legislation. We cannot proceed with this bill and we have to go back to the drawing board." | "It is for those reasons that I believe the coalition government needs to have a fundamental rethink about this legislation. We cannot proceed with this bill and we have to go back to the drawing board." |
But he added: "The committee did not, however, suggest that nothing needs to be done. They were very clear that there is a problem that must be addressed to give law enforcement agencies the powers they need to fight crime. I agree. | But he added: "The committee did not, however, suggest that nothing needs to be done. They were very clear that there is a problem that must be addressed to give law enforcement agencies the powers they need to fight crime. I agree. |
"But that must be done in a proportionate way that gets the balance between security and liberty right." | "But that must be done in a proportionate way that gets the balance between security and liberty right." |
'Secret notices' | 'Secret notices' |
In its report, the committee said home secretary would be given "sweeping powers to issue secret notices to communications service providers, requiring them to retain and disclose potentially limitless categories of data". | |
But it added: "We have been told that she has no intention of using the powers in this way. Our main recommendation is therefore that her powers should be limited to those categories of data for which a case can now be made." | But it added: "We have been told that she has no intention of using the powers in this way. Our main recommendation is therefore that her powers should be limited to those categories of data for which a case can now be made." |
If these powers needed to be enhanced in future, this should be done with "effective parliamentary scrutiny", it said. | If these powers needed to be enhanced in future, this should be done with "effective parliamentary scrutiny", it said. |
The home secretary wants the bill in place next year. | |
Home Office minister James Brokenshire told BBC Radio 4's Today programme there was a "legitimate debate" to be had. | |
He added that he wanted to "rebalance" the bill, so that "it's properly reflecting the needs of the collective and the needs of the individual". | |
Mr Brokenshire also said: "If there were to be any extension, that would have to be through the full scrutiny of Parliament. We are saying very clearly that we accept that." | |
He added: "We know that we need to work this through the coalition." | |
Civil liberties campaigners have described the proposals as a "snooper's charter". | Civil liberties campaigners have described the proposals as a "snooper's charter". |
But the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (Ceop) agency has said that the powers will make it easier to convict paedophiles and murderers. | But the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (Ceop) agency has said that the powers will make it easier to convict paedophiles and murderers. |
A Home Office spokesman said: "This legislation is vital to help catch paedophiles, terrorists and other serious criminals and we are pleased both scrutiny committees have recognised the need for new laws. | A Home Office spokesman said: "This legislation is vital to help catch paedophiles, terrorists and other serious criminals and we are pleased both scrutiny committees have recognised the need for new laws. |
"We have now considered the committees' recommendations carefully and we will accept the substance of them all. But there can be no delay to this legislation. It is needed by law enforcement agencies now." | "We have now considered the committees' recommendations carefully and we will accept the substance of them all. But there can be no delay to this legislation. It is needed by law enforcement agencies now." |