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Surveillance: Local Authorities

Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what guidance (a) her Department and (b) the Office of the Surveillance Commissioners has given to local authorities on the level of authorisation of requests to conduct surveillance under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000; [222926]

(2) what guidance (a) her Department and (b) the Office of the Surveillance Commissioner has given to local authorities on the proportionate and necessary use of surveillance powers under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000; [222948]

(3) what assessment she has made of the effect on local authorities of the transposition and implementation of the Data Retention Directive; [222980]

(4) what guidance her Office has issued on each aspect of surveillance and interception under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. [222981]

Mr. Coaker: The level of authorisation for directed surveillance by local authorities is set out in statutory instrument 2003 No.3171: the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Directed Surveillance and Covert Human Intelligence Sources) Order 2003.

No specific guidance has been given to local authorities on the proportionate and necessary use of surveillance powers, but guidance is contained in the statutory Code of Practice for Covert Surveillance.


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No assessment has been made of the effect on local authorities of the transposition and implementation of the Data Retention Directive 2006/24/EC. However, the Directive requires communications service providers to retain communications data to ensure that public authorities, including local authorities, can continue to have access under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

The Home Office has published statutory codes of practice under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 on Covert Surveillance; the Interception of Communications; Acquisition and Disclosure of Communications Data; and Covert Human Intelligence Sources. Separately, the National Policing Improvement Agency has issued “Guidance on the Lawful and Effective use of Covert Techniques” and the Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Sources (LACORS) has also provided advice to local authorities.

Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what requirements there are on local authorities to compile a central register of surveillance activity. [223960]

Mr. Coaker: Where local authorities conduct directed surveillance within the meaning of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 they are required to maintain a record of the authorisation. This will be made available for inspection as appropriate by the Office of Surveillance Commissioners, but there is no central register of local authorities’ surveillance activity.

Telecommunications: Databases

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department has (a) spent and (b) allocated to spend on consultancy and related work in connection with the establishment of a national database to store telecommunications and internet traffic data and connected information. [222646]

Mr. Coaker: The Government have been considering options for modernising our national interception capabilities in the light of changes to communications technology.

Our ability to lawfully intercept communications and obtain communications data is critical to combating the threat posed by terrorism and in tackling serious and organised crime such as child sex abuse, kidnap, murder and drug related crime.

The Government have not yet decided on a definitive proposal on how to modernise these capabilities. Consideration of options is under way.

When the Government do bring forward policy proposals, they will be notified to Parliament in the proper way, with associated information on financial implications.

Terrorism: Pakistan

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what recent discussions she has had with the (a) Hindu Forum of Britain and (b) Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on the funding of terrorist groups in Pakistan by bodies in Britain; and if she will make a statement; [224152]


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(2) what representations she has received on the diversion of British charities' funding to Pakistan to terrorist groups; and if she will make a statement; [224153]

Mr. Coaker: My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has had no recent discussions with my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on this subject. However, the Hindu Forum of Britain did write to my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary on 27 July outlining their concerns that money was being diverted from British charities to terrorist groups. My predecessor, my right hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, East (Mr. McNulty), wrote back to the organisation on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary on 8 September advising them that it is an operational matter for the police to investigate allegations that money is being raised or used for terrorist purposes. The Charity Commission for England and Wales is able to co-operate fully with the police and other agencies, and to investigate any concerns that arise in such cases as an immediate priority.

Any evidence the Hindu Forum of Britain might have to support their concerns should be forwarded to the police and the Charity Commission.

Vetting

Mr. David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether employees of local authorities will be responsible for paying the fee for Independent Safeguarding Authority clearance. [224758]

Meg Hillier: The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 makes a fee payable on application for registration with the new Vetting and Barring Scheme. The fee will normally be payable by the applicant but it will be open to employers to pay the fee on behalf of their employees, should they choose to do so. Checks for unpaid volunteers will be free of charge.

Mr. David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether local authority workers who have been cleared by the Criminal Records Bureau must apply for clearance under the Independent Safeguarding Authority. [224760]

Meg Hillier: The Criminal Records Bureau provides a check on criminal records information for eligible employees and volunteers. The new Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) will consider whether individuals are suitable for work with children or vulnerable adults, and will have the power to bar those considered unsuitable. Where local authority or other workers are providing regulated or controlled activities as defined under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, they will need to apply to be registered with the ISA, in addition to any CRB check. It will normally be possible to obtain a CRB check at the same time as the initial application to the ISA.

Children, Schools and Families

Academies

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which academies plan to open in (a) 2009, (b) 2010, (c) 2011 and (d) 2012; and if he will make a statement. [224837]


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Jim Knight: There are currently 51 projects in feasibility or implementation for opening in September 2009, 18 for 2010, four for 2011 and one for 2012. A list of these projects is set out. As part of the National Challenge there is now funding for 80 Academies to open in 2009 and 100 in 2010.


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Academies: Disadvantaged

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his estimate is of the proportion of children known to be eligible for free school meals in each academy and its predecessor school in each year since 2000-01; and if he will make a statement. [225059]

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

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