Regulation of intelligence gathering

A range of statutory obligations regulate the acquisition, retention, examination and dissemination of private material by public authorities for intelligence purposes. These include:

•
Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (IPA 2016)
•
Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA 2000)
•
Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA 1998)
•
Intelligence Services Act 1994 (ISA 1994)
•
Security Service Act 1989 (SSA 1989)
•
Computer Misuse Act 1990 (CMA 1990)
•
Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 (WTA 2006)
•
Investigatory Powers (Interception by Businesses etc. for Monitoring and Record-keeping Purposes) Regulations 2018, SI 2018/356

The purpose of IPA 2016 is to set out 'the extent to which certain investigatory powers may be used to interfere with privacy'.

IPA 2016 does not provide a statutory definition of ‘investigatory powers’, and there is no such definition in previous legislation. For practical purposes, however, the term ‘investigatory powers’ is generally taken to be equivalent to ‘surveillance powers’, with particular emphasis on surveillance that is covert (ie unknown

To view the latest version of this document and thousands of others like it, sign-in with LexisNexis or register for a free trial.

TAKE A FREE TRIAL

Latest Corporate Crime News

Health and safety prosecutions round-up—16 September 2025

A round-up of the latest health and safety prosecutions, including a container company fined after a worker was run over and dragged by a forklift truck.

House of Commons rejects latest House of Lords amendments to the ERB

On 15 September, the House of Commons overturned the amendments made by the House of Lords to the Employment Rights Bill (ERB) during the Third Reading. The Lords proposed a number of amendments, including: a six-month qualifying period to claim unfair dismissal, an right to request guaranteed hours, and a weakening of the provisions on fire and rehire. The House of Commons instead chose to reinstate the government’s original provisions.

MoJ introduces Public Office (Accountability) Bill with new duty of candour for officials

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has announced the introduction of the Public Office (Accountability) Bill to Parliament. The legislation would create a new professional and legal duty of candour for public officials, backed by criminal sanctions for serious breaches. It would establish non-means tested legal aid for bereaved families at inquests, introduce a new criminal offence for misleading the public, and require legal spending by public bodies at inquests to be proportionate. The measures aim to prevent institutional concealment of facts following public disasters and scandals, applying to all public bodies and officials.

DESNZ announces new UK-US nuclear partnership agreement

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has announced the Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy agreement between the UK and US governments, aimed at accelerating nuclear power station development through streamlined regulatory processes. Under the agreement, reactor design checks will be fast-tracked, allowing safety assessments from one country to support approvals in the other, potentially reducing licensing timelines from three to four years to approximately 24 months. As part of the initiative, five key commercial deals have been announced, including: (1) X-Energy and Centrica's project to build 12 advanced modular reactors in Hartlepool; (2) Holtec, EDF and Tritax's project to develop advanced data centres powered by small modular reactors at the former Cottam coal-fired power station in Nottinghamshire; and (3) Last Energy and DP World's plans to establish one of the world's first micro modular nuclear power plants, supported by £80m in private investment, among others. The partnership also extends to fusion energy, with joint UK-US experimental programmes using AI technology to develop advanced simulation tools, while test facilities will accelerate progress towards commercial fusion power.

View Corporate Crime by content type :

News