As previously reported on this blog, our Information Law and Policy Centre (ILPC) at IALS has facilitated an ad hoc research group of academics and practitioners to contribute to the ongoing policy debate on surveillance following publication of the government’s Draft Investigatory Powers Bill. Members of this group published a clause-by-clause review examining their provenance – that is, whether the clauses come from existing legislation, or are newly introduced.
Lorna Woods, IALS senior associate research fellow and professor in law at the University of Essex, then submitted a revised version in her evidence to the joint select committee scrutinising the Bill. The committee used her evidence in its report published in February, for a table describing each investigatory capability in the draft bill (pp.32-37).
Separately, members of the Information Law and Policy Centre’s advisory board including Professor Lilian Edwards, Strathclyde University and Dr Lawrence McNamara, Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law, have signed an open letter published in the Telegraph calling on the government to give the Investigatory Powers Bill, which was introduced to the House of Commons on 1st March, the time it needs and not rush it through Parliament.
Members of the Centre have also participated in related events: Information Law and Policy Centre director Dr Judith Townend spoke at a symposium on the Bill at the University of Cambridge on 5 February 2016, and on 8th March, acted as discussant in an event on surveillance and human rights at Senate House, as part of a Seminar Series organised by the Institute of Commonwealth Studies and the Human Rights Consortium. Other speakers included Kirsty Brimelow QC and Silkie Carlo, policy officer in technology and surveillance at Liberty.