Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-11-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the current guidance is on how data required to be retained by communications companies for investigations undertaken or authorised by the Government is to be stored.

Mr John Hayes

The retention systems of communications service providers who retain data under existing legislation are accredited by independent security experts and the security of these systems is overseen by the Information Commissioner. Current guidance on the retention of communications data by communications service providers is contained in the Retention of Communications Data Code of Practice 2015. Equivalent standards for retained data are replicated in the draft Investigatory Powers Bill and will be included in subsequent codes of practice.