Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000

Changes over time for: Section 34

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Point in time view as at 19/06/2023.

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Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, Section 34 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 29 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.

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34 Grant of authorisations in the senior officer’s absence.U.K.

This section has no associated Explanatory Notes

(1)This section applies in the case of an application for an authorisation for the carrying out of intrusive surveillance where—

(a)the application is one made by a member of a police [F1force (other than a member of the tri-service serious crime unit), a member of the tri-service serious crime unit,] [F2a person designated under regulation 36(2) of the 2023 Regulations,] [F3a [F4National Crime Agency officer]] or by [F5[F6an officer of the CMA] or] [F7an officer of Revenue and Customs [F8or an immigration officer];] and

(b)the case is urgent.

(2)If —

(a)it is not reasonably practicable, having regard to the urgency of the case, for the application to be considered by any person who is a senior authorising officer by reference to the force [F9or Agency] in question or, as the case may be, [F10as [F11Provost Marshal for serious crime or] [F12the Service Police Complaints Commissioner or] the chair of the CMA or] by virtue of a designation by [F13the Commissioners for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs [F14or the Secretary of State],] and

(b)it also not reasonably practicable, having regard to the urgency of the case, for the application to be considered by a person (if there is one) who is entitled, as a designated deputy of a senior authorising officer, to exercise the functions in relation to that application of such an officer,

the application may be made to and considered by any person who is entitled under subsection (4) to act for any senior authorising officer who would have been entitled to consider the application.

(3)A person who considers an application under subsection (1) shall have the same power to grant an authorisation as the person for whom he is entitled to act.

(4)For the purposes of this section—

(a)a person is entitled to act for the chief constable of a police force maintained under section 2 of the M1Police Act 1996 if he holds the rank of assistant chief constable in that force;

(b)a person is entitled to act for the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, or for an Assistant Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, if he holds the rank of commander in the metropolitan police force;

(c)a person is entitled to act for the Commissioner of Police for the City of London if he holds the rank of commander in the City of London police force;

(d)a person is entitled to act for the chief constable of [F15the Police Service of Scotland if he holds the rank of deputy or assistant chief constable of the Police Service of Scotland];

(e)a person is entitled to act for the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, or for the Deputy Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, if he holds the rank of assistant chief constable in the Royal Ulster Constabulary;

(f)a person is entitled to act for the Chief Constable of the Ministry of Defence Police if he holds the rank of deputy or assistant chief constable in that force;

(g)a person is entitled to act for the Provost Marshal of the [F16Royal Navy Police] if he holds the position of assistant Provost Marshal in [F17that force];

(h)a person is entitled to act for the Provost Marshal of the Royal Military Police or the Provost Marshal of the Royal Air Force Police if he holds the position of deputy Provost Marshal in the police force in question;

[F18(ha)a person is entitled to act for the Provost Marshal for serious crime if the person holds the position of deputy Provost Marshal in the tri-service serious crime unit;]

[F19(hb)a person is entitled to act for the Service Police Complaints Commissioner if the person is designated by the Commissioner for the purposes of this paragraph as a person entitled so to act in an urgent case;]

(i)a person is entitled to act for the Chief Constable of the British Transport Police if he holds the rank of deputy or assistant chief constable in that force;

[F20(j)a person is entitled to act for the [F21Director General of the National Crime Agency] if he is a person designated for the purposes of this paragraph by that Director General as a person entitled so to act in an urgent case;]

(l)a person is entitled to act for a person who is a senior authorising officer by virtue of a designation by [F22the Commissioners for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs,] if he is [F23a senior official] designated for the purposes of this paragraph by those Commissioners as a person entitled so to act in an urgent case.

[F24(la)a person is entitled to act for a person who is a senior authorising officer by virtue of a designation under section 32(6)(ma), if the person is a senior official in the department of the Secretary of State by whom functions relating to immigration are exercisable who is designated for the purposes of this paragraph by the Secretary of State as a person entitled so to act in an urgent case;]

[F25(m)a person is entitled to act for the [F26chair of the CMA if he is an officer of the CMA] designated by it for the purposes of this paragraph as a person entitled so to act in an urgent case.]

F27(5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(6)In this section “designated deputy”—

[F28(a)in relation to the chief constable for a police force in England and Wales, means—

(i)the person who is the appropriate deputy chief constable for the purposes of section 12A(1) of the Police Act 1996, or

(ii)a person holding the rank of assistant chief constable who is designated to act under section 12A(2) of that Act;

(aa)in relation to the chief constable [F29of the Police Service of Scotland, means the deputy chief constable designated under section 18(3) of the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012;] —

(i)a person holding the rank of deputy chief constable and, where there is more than one person in the police force who holds that rank, who is designated as the officer having the powers and duties conferred on a deputy chief constable by section 5A(1) of the Police (Scotland) Act 1967, or

(ii)a person holding the rank of assistant chief constable who is designated to act under section 5A(2) of that Act;]

(b)in relation to the Commissioner of Police for the City of London, means a person authorised to act under section 25 of the M2City of London Police Act 1839;

F30(c). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F1Words in s. 34(1)(a) substituted (1.5.2022 for specified purposes, 5.12.2022 in so far as not already in force) by Armed Forces Act 2021 (c. 35), s. 24(1), Sch. 5 para. 16(2); S.I. 2022/471, reg. 2(e); S.I. 2022/1095, reg. 4

F2Words in s. 34(1)(a) inserted (19.6.2023) by The Service Police (Complaints etc.) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/624), reg. 1(1), Sch. 1 para. 10(4)(a)

F3Words in s. 34(1)(a) substituted (1.4.2006) by Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15), ss. 59, 178, Sch. 4 para. 138(2); S.I. 2006/378, art. 4(1), Sch. para. 10 (subject to art. 4(2)-(7))

F4Words in s. 34(1)(a) substituted (7.10.2013) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(2), Sch. 8 para. 84(2); S.I. 2013/1682, art. 3(v)

F5Words in s. 34(1)(a) inserted (20.6.2003) by 2002 c. 40, ss. 199(5)(a), 279; S.I. 2003/1397, art. 2(1), Sch.

F6Words in s. 34(1)(a) substituted (1.4.2014) by The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 (Competition) (Consequential, Transitional and Saving Provisions) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/892), art. 1(1), Sch. 1 para. 136(2) (with art. 3)

F7Words in s. 34(1) substituted (15.2.2008) by Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27), ss. 88, 94, Sch. 12 para. 12(a); S.I. 2008/219, art. 2(b)

F8Words in s. 34(1)(a) inserted (25.6.2013) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(2), Sch. 21 para. 8(2) (with Sch. 20 para. 29); S.I. 2013/1042, art. 4(i)

F9Words in s. 34(2)(a) substituted (1.4.2006) by Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15), ss. 59, 178, Sch. 4 para. 138(3); S.I. 2006/378, art. 4(1), Sch. para. 10 (subject to art. 4(2)-(7))

F10Words in s. 34(2)(a) substituted (1.4.2014) by The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 (Competition) (Consequential, Transitional and Saving Provisions) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/892), art. 1(1), Sch. 1 para. 136(3) (with art. 3)