Investigatory Powers Act 2016

76 Use of a single point of contact

(1) Before granting an authorisation, the designated senior officer must consult a person who is acting as a single point of contact in relation to the granting of authorisations.

(2) But, if the designated senior officer considers that there are exceptional circumstances which mean that subsection (1) should not apply in a particular case, that subsection does not apply in that case.

(3) Examples of exceptional circumstances include—

(a) an imminent threat to life or another emergency, or

(b) the interests of national security.

(4) A person is acting as a single point of contact if that person—

(a) is an officer of a relevant public authority, and

(b) is responsible for advising—

(i) officers of the relevant public authority about applying for authorisations, or

(ii) designated senior officers of the relevant public authority about granting authorisations.

(5) A person acting as a single point of contact may, in particular, advise an officer of a relevant public authority who is considering whether to apply for an authorisation about—

(a) the most appropriate methods for obtaining data where the data concerned is processed by more than one telecommunications operator,

(b) the cost, and resource implications, for—

(i) the relevant public authority concerned of obtaining the data, and

(ii) the telecommunications operator concerned of disclosing the data,

(c) any unintended consequences of the proposed authorisation, and

(d) any issues as to the lawfulness of the proposed authorisation.

(6) A person acting as a single point of contact may, in particular, advise a designated senior officer who is considering whether to grant an authorisation about—

(a) whether it is reasonably practical to obtain the data sought in pursuance of the proposed authorisation,

(b) the cost, and resource implications, for—

(i) the relevant public authority concerned of obtaining the data, and

(ii) the telecommunications operator concerned of disclosing the data,

(c) any unintended consequences of the proposed authorisation, and

(d) any issues as to the lawfulness of the proposed authorisation.

(7) A person acting as a single point of contact may also provide advice about—

(a) whether requirements imposed by virtue of an authorisation have been met,

(b) the use in support of operations or investigations of communications data obtained in pursuance of an authorisation, and

(c) any other effects of an authorisation.

(8) Nothing in this section prevents a person acting as a single point of contact from also applying for, or being granted, an authorisation or, in the case of a designated senior officer, granting an authorisation.