Search Legislation

Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Act 2024

 Help about what version

What Version

 Help about advanced features

Advanced Features

Changes over time for: Cross Heading: Notification of proposed changes to telecommunications services etc

 Help about opening options

Alternative versions:

Status:

This version of this cross heading contains provisions that are prospective. Help about Status

Close

Status

The term provision is used to describe a definable element in a piece of legislation that has legislative effect – such as a Part, Chapter or section. A version of a provision is prospective either:

  1. where the provision (Part, Chapter or section) has never come into force or;
  2. where the text of the provision is subject to change, but no date has yet been appointed by the appropriate person or body for those changes to come into force.

Commencement Orders listed in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ box as not yet applied may bring this prospective version into force.

Changes to legislation:

There are currently no known outstanding effects for the Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Act 2024, Cross Heading: Notification of proposed changes to telecommunications services etc. Help about Changes to Legislation

Close

Changes to Legislation

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. At the current time any known changes or effects made by subsequent legislation have been applied to the text of the legislation you are viewing by the editorial team. Please see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ for details regarding the timescales for which new effects are identified and recorded on this site.

Prospective

Notification of proposed changes to telecommunications services etcU.K.

21Notification of proposed changes to telecommunications services etcU.K.

(1)The Investigatory Powers Act 2016 is amended in accordance with subsections (2) and (3).

(2)After section 258 (but before the italic heading before section 259) insert—

258ANotification of proposed changes to telecommunications services etc

(1)The Secretary of State may give a relevant operator a notice in writing under this section requiring the operator to notify the Secretary of State of any proposals of the operator to make any relevant changes specified in the notice.

(2)In this section “relevant change” means a change—

(a)to a service or system within subsection (3), and

(b)that is specified in regulations made by the Secretary of State as a change that may be included in a notice given under this section.

(3)The following are within this subsection—

(a)telecommunications services offered or provided by the operator;

(b)telecommunication systems controlled or provided by the operator;

(c)postal services provided by the operator.

(4)Regulations under subsection (2) may in particular specify changes by reference to the impact of the changes on the capability of a relevant operator to provide any assistance which the operator may be required to provide in relation to any warrant, authorisation or notice issued or given under this Act.

(5)The Secretary of State may give a relevant operator a notice under this section only if the Secretary of State considers that—

(a)the notice is necessary for maintaining the capability of the relevant operator to provide any assistance which the operator may be required to provide in relation to any warrant, authorisation or notice issued or given under this Act, and

(b)the conduct required by the notice is proportionate to what is sought to be achieved by that conduct.

(6)Before giving a notice under this section, the Secretary of State must among other matters take into account—

(a)the likely benefits of the notice,

(b)the likely number of users (if known) of any postal or telecommunications service to which the notice relates,

(c)the likely cost of complying with the notice, and

(d)any other effect of the notice on the operator to whom it relates.

(7)Before giving a notice under this section to a relevant operator, the Secretary of State must consult that operator.

(8)A relevant operator to whom a notice is given under this section, or any person employed or engaged for the purposes of that relevant operator’s business, must not disclose the existence or contents of the notice to any other person without the permission of the Secretary of State.

(9)A relevant operator to whom a notice is given under this section must comply with the notice a reasonable time before making any relevant changes to which the notice relates.

(10)The duty imposed by subsection (8) or (9) is enforceable by civil proceedings by the Secretary of State for an injunction, or for specific performance of a statutory duty under section 45 of the Court of Session Act 1988, or for any other appropriate relief.

(11)In this section “relevant operator” means—

(a)a postal operator,

(b)a telecommunications operator, or

(c)a person who is proposing to become a postal operator or a telecommunications operator,

who meets the condition in subsection (12).

(12)The condition in this subsection is that the operator or person provides (or has provided) assistance in relation to any warrant, authorisation or notice issued or given under this Act.

258BVariation and revocation of notices given under section 258A

(1)In this section—

  • relevant notice” means a notice given under section 258A;

  • relevant operator” has the same meaning as in that section.

(2)The Secretary of State may—

(a)vary a relevant notice;

(b)revoke a relevant notice (whether wholly or in part).

(3)The Secretary of State may vary a relevant notice only if the Secretary of State considers that—

(a)the variation is necessary for maintaining the capability of the relevant operator to provide any assistance which the operator may be required to provide in relation to any warrant, authorisation or notice issued or given under this Act, and

(b)the conduct required by the notice, as varied, is proportionate to what is sought to be achieved by that conduct.

(4)If the Secretary of State varies or revokes a relevant notice given to any relevant operator, the Secretary of State must give that relevant operator notice in writing of the variation or revocation.

(5)The fact that a relevant notice has been revoked in relation to a particular relevant operator does not prevent the giving of another relevant notice of the same kind in relation to the same relevant operator.

(6)Subsections (6) and (7) of section 258A apply in relation to varying or revoking a relevant notice as they apply in relation to giving a relevant notice.

(7)Any reference in this section or section 258A(8) or (9) to a notice given under section 258A includes a reference to such a notice as varied under this section.

(3)In section 267(3) (regulations)—

(a)omit the “or” after paragraph (j);

(b)after that paragraph insert—

(ja)section 258A(2), or.

(4)The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 is amended as follows.

(5)In section 65 (the Tribunal)—

(a)in subsection (5)(czi)—

(i)for “or 253” substitute “, 253 or 258A”;

(ii)for “or technical capability” substitute “, technical capability or proposed changes to telecommunications services etc”;

(b)in subsection (5)(czl)(iii), for “or 253” substitute “, 253 or 258A”;

(c)in subsection (8)(bc), for “or 253” substitute “, 253 or 258A”.

(6)In section 67 (exercise of the Tribunal’s jurisdiction), in subsection (7)(azc), for “or 253” substitute “, 253 or 258A”.

(7)In section 68 (Tribunal procedure)—

(a)in subsection (5)(b), for “or 253” substitute “, 253 or 258A”;

(b)in subsection (7)(f), for “or 253” substitute “, 253 or 258A”;

(c)in subsection (7)(ha), for “or 253” substitute “, 253 or 258A”.

Commencement Information

I1S. 21 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 32(2)

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Close

See additional information alongside the content

Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

Explanatory Notes

Text created by the government department responsible for the subject matter of the Act to explain what the Act sets out to achieve and to make the Act accessible to readers who are not legally qualified. Explanatory Notes were introduced in 1999 and accompany all Public Acts except Appropriation, Consolidated Fund, Finance and Consolidation Acts.

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

Timeline of Changes

This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.

Close

More Resources

Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • correction slips

Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:

  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • links to related legislation and further information resources