The Communications Data Bill could recommend legislation to intercept and obtain data about mobile calls and internet traffic.

Mobile phone and internet data could be captured and stored on a national database for two years, said the UK Government’s Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, in a speech about the draft Communications Data Bill.

At the Institute for Public Policy Research Commission on National Security on 15 October, Ms Smith gave a speech on the threat of international terrorism. In it, she discussed the Communications Data Bill which proposes to store people’s data for two years.

She said: “Our ability to intercept communications and obtain communications data is vital to fighting terrorism and combating serious crime, including child sex abuse, murder and drugs trafficking. Communications Data – that is, data about calls, such as the location and identity of the caller, not the content of the calls themselves – is used as important evidence in 95% of serious crime cases and in almost all Security Service operations since 2004.

“But the communications revolution has been rapid in this country and the way in which we intercept communications and collect communications data needs to change too.”

She continued: “The changes we need to make may require legislation…But before proceeding to legislation, I am clear that we need to consult widely with the public and all interested parties to set out the emerging problem, the important capability gaps that we need to address and to look at the possible solutions.  We also need to agree what safeguards will be needed, in addition to the many we have in place already, to provide a solid legal framework which protects civil liberties.

“The changes would not create an enormous database which will contain the content of your emails, the texts that you send or the chats you have on the phone or online.  Nor would it give local authorities the power to trawl through such a database in the interest of investigating minor crimes or disputes.

“Local authorities do not have the power to listen to your calls now and they never will in future.”

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