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Reassurances sought that agency is not spying on AMs | |
(34 minutes later) | |
Reassurances are being sought that an intelligence agency is not spying on AMs. | |
First Minister Carwyn Jones said it would be "completely unacceptable" if intelligence organisation GCHQ was tapping phones and accessing emails. | |
He was responding to Scottish newspaper claims the agency may not still be following a monitoring ban. | |
The Cabinet Office has been asked to respond. Nobody from GCHQ was available for comment. | The Cabinet Office has been asked to respond. Nobody from GCHQ was available for comment. |
Mr Jones has written to Prime Minister David Cameron outlining concerns about the "infringements of our privacy". | Mr Jones has written to Prime Minister David Cameron outlining concerns about the "infringements of our privacy". |
GCHQ is banned from tapping phones of MPs and electronic communications, including emails, under a doctrine set out by former Prime Minister Harold Wilson. | GCHQ is banned from tapping phones of MPs and electronic communications, including emails, under a doctrine set out by former Prime Minister Harold Wilson. |
This previously applied to assembly members in Wales and Northern Ireland and members of the Scottish parliament. | This previously applied to assembly members in Wales and Northern Ireland and members of the Scottish parliament. |
But according to the reports, the guidelines have changed and the doctrine no longer applies to devolved administrations. | But according to the reports, the guidelines have changed and the doctrine no longer applies to devolved administrations. |
Mr Jones said: "It's completely unacceptable that any communications between members elected to the devolved administrations and the people they represent might be monitored in this way. | Mr Jones said: "It's completely unacceptable that any communications between members elected to the devolved administrations and the people they represent might be monitored in this way. |
"I'd like to hear from the UK government about why this major rule change happened and why the devolved administrations were not consulted about it." | "I'd like to hear from the UK government about why this major rule change happened and why the devolved administrations were not consulted about it." |
'Affront of democracy' | |
Presiding officer Rosemary Butler has also written to the prime minister outlining concerns. She said assembly members should be treated the same as MPs by security services. | |
Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Kirsty Williams said if true, the practice of spying on AMs is "appalling" and "outrageous". | |
Plaid Cymru mid and west Wales AM Simon Thomas called it an "affront on Welsh democracy". |
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