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Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000

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Changes over time for: Cross Heading: Codes of practice

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Changes to legislation:

Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, Cross Heading: Codes of practice is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 07 December 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. Help about Changes to Legislation

Codes of practiceU.K.

71 Issue and revision of codes of practice.U.K.

(1)The Secretary of State shall issue one or more codes of practice relating to the exercise and performance of the powers and duties mentioned in subsection (2).

(2)Those powers and duties are those (excluding any power to make subordinate legislation [F1and subject to subsection (10)]) that are conferred or imposed otherwise than on [F2a Judicial Commissioner ] [F3or the relevant judicial authority (within the meaning of section F4... 32A)] by or under—

(a)[F5Parts 2 and 3] of this Act;

(b)section 5 of the M1Intelligence Services Act 1994 (warrants for interference with property or wireless telegraphy for the purposes of the intelligence services); and

(c)Part III of the M2Police Act 1997 (authorisation by the police or [F6Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs] of interference with property or wireless telegraphy).

F7(2A). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(3)Before issuing a code of practice under subsection (1), the Secretary of State shall—

(a)prepare and publish a draft of that code; and

(b)consider any representations made to him about the draft;

and the Secretary of State may incorporate in the code finally issued any modifications made by him to the draft after its publication.

(4)The Secretary of State shall lay before both Houses of Parliament every draft code of practice prepared and published by him under this section.

(5)A code of practice issued by the Secretary of State under this section shall not be brought into force except in accordance with an order made by the Secretary of State.

(6)An order under subsection (5) may contain such transitional provisions and savings as appear to the Secretary of State to be necessary or expedient in connection with the bringing into force of the code brought into force by that order.

(7)The Secretary of State may from time to time—

(a)revise the whole or any part of a code issued under this section; and

(b)issue the revised code.

(8)Subsections [F8(3)] to (6) shall apply (with appropriate modifications) in relation to the issue of any revised code under this section as they apply in relation to the first issue of such a code.

(9)The Secretary of State shall not make an order containing provision for any of the purposes of this section unless a draft of the order has been laid before Parliament and approved by a resolution of each House.

F9(10). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F6Words in s. 71(2)(c) substituted (15.2.2008) by Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27), ss. 88, 94, Sch. 12 para. 25; S.I. 2008/219, art. 2(b)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

Commencement Information

I1S. 71 not in force at Royal Assent see s. 83(2); s. 71 in force for certain purposes at 25.9.2000 and 2.10.2000 by S.I. 2000/2543, arts. 2, 3; s. 71 in force for certain other purposes at 13.8.2001 by S.I. 2001/2727, art. 2; s. 71 in force for further certain purposes at 1.10.2007 by S.I. 2007/2196, art. 2(h)

Marginal Citations

72 Effect of codes of practice.U.K.

(1)A person exercising or performing any power or duty in relation to which provision may be made by a code of practice under section 71 shall, in doing so, have regard to the provisions (so far as they are applicable) of every code of practice for the time being in force under that section.

(2)A failure on the part of any person to comply with any provision of a code of practice for the time being in force under section 71 shall not of itself render him liable to any criminal or civil proceedings.

(3)A code of practice in force at any time under section 71 shall be admissible in evidence in any criminal or civil proceedings.

(4)If any provision of a code of practice issued or revised under section 71 appears to—

(a)the court or tribunal conducting any civil or criminal proceedings,

(b)the Tribunal,

[F10(ba)the Investigatory Powers Commissioner for Northern Ireland carrying out functions under this Act, or]

[F10(bb)the Investigatory Powers Commissioner or any other Judicial Commissioner carrying out functions under this Act, the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 or the Police Act 1997,]

to be relevant to any question arising in the proceedings, or in connection with the exercise of that jurisdiction or the carrying out of those functions, in relation to a time when it was in force, that provision of the code shall be taken into account in determining that question.

F11(5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F10S. 72(4)(ba)(bb) substituted (1.9.2017) for s. 72(4)(c)-(e) by Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (c. 25), s. 272(1), Sch. 10 para. 82(2) (with Sch. 9 paras. 7, 8, 10); S.I. 2017/859, reg. 2(j)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

Commencement Information

I2S. 72 not in force at Royal Assent see s. 83(2); s. 72 in force for certain purposes at 25.9.2000 and s. 72 in force at 2.10.2000 for certain other purposes by S.I. 2000/2543, arts. 2, 3; s. 72 in force for certain other purposes at 13.8.2001 by S.I. 2001/2727, art. 2; s. 72 in force for further certain purposes at 1.10.2007 by S.I. 2007/2196, art. 2(h)

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