May had promised to establish an independent review to examine the operational case for powers allowing such collection of data. The review said this power was of “vital utility” and had played an important part in the prevention of bomb attacks, the rescuing of hostages and the thwarting of numerous cyber-attacks.
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The review said that bulk acquisition of communications data is “crucial in a variety of fields, including counter-terrorism, counter-espionage and counter-proliferation” and its use can not be matched by data acquired through targeted means.
The bulk interception and acquisition of data by British spy agencies is vital to prevent terrorism and espionage, an independent review has found.
Earlier in the day, a report by David Anderson claimed that bulk interception of data was of “vital utility” to United Kingdom security and intelligence while other methods failed to provide same results. The security services will be able to collect such “bulk” data under the Investigatory Powers Bill, which is now going through British Parliament.
“It is concerning, however, that the Prime Minister, who knows this legislation well, has not accepted the report in full and in particular David Anderson’s call for a Technological Advisory Panel to ensure legislation keeps pace with changing technology”.
The independent reviewer said he had therefore recommended establishing a panel of security cleared academics and experts to advise on how changing technology may impact on investigatory powers and the use of techniques to minimise privacy infringement.
Mrs May said it demonstrates how bulk powers in the new Bill are “of crucial importance to our security and intelligence agencies”.
However, Anderson’s report says the security services need even more powers to hack into people’s phones and computers to identify those who pose a threat to Britain because of increasing levels of encryption used by United States technology giants. The report said the power has never been used, but a “thematic” capability has been used to identify risky extremists in Syria.
Mr Anderson was asked earlier this year to evaluate the case for the tactics, which are included in the landmark Investigatory Powers Bill.
Meanwhile, the report also said there was an operational – although unproven – case for bulk equipment interference to obtain information from devices as a means to hold data that may help identify “subjects of interest” that pose a potential national security threat.
Campaign group Liberty hit out at the review.
“These powers often provide the only means by which our Agencies are able to protect the British public from the most serious threats that we face”, May said.
The government said it is giving careful consideration to the report, which will play a central role in informing parliament’s consideration of the bulk provisions in the bill at the Lord’s Committee stage, which is due to resume on 5 September 2016.
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Andy Burnham, the shadow Home Secretary, called on the government to accept the report in its entirety.
