Draft Communications Data Bill

The Joint Committee finds that draft Bill must be significantly amended to deliver only necessary data that law enforcement needs, and the Home Secretary should not be given carte blanche to order retention of any type of data. Whilst calling for a narrower focus, the Committee recognises that more needs to be done to provide law enforcement and other agencies access to data they cannot currently obtain and so makes a range of constructive proposals to enable the Home Office to present a better Bill to Parliament. There must also be much better consultation with industry, technical experts, civil liberties groups, public authorities and law enforcement bodies before a new Bill is introduced.