03/02/2020
Privacy International v Secretary of State for Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs & Ors (Rev 2) [2016] UKIPTrib 15_110-CH (17 October 2016)
Intelligence Service must then task the technical team[s] responsible for Retention and Deletion with a
view to ensuring that any retained data is destroyed and notify the Interception of Communications
Commissioner accordingly. Confirmation of completed deletion must be recorded with the relevant
Information Governance/Compliance team."
Oversight
45. The Section 94 Handling Arrangements also set out provisions in relation to internal and external
oversight.
46. §§4.6.1-4.6.2 concern internal oversight. A senior member of an Intelligence Service's internal
review panel (see paragraph 44 above) must keep that Service's Executive Board apprised of BCD
holdings (§4.6.1). In addition internal audit teams must monitor use of IT systems:
"4.6.2 Use of IT systems is monitored by the audit team in order to detect misuse or identify activity
that may give rise to security concerns. Any such identified activity initiates a formal investigation
process in which legal, policy and HR (Human Resources) input will be requested where appropriate.
Disciplinary action may be taken, which in the most serious cases could lead to dismissal and/or the
possibility of prosecution under the Computer Misuse Act 1990, the Data Protection Act 1998, the
Official Secrets Act 1989 and Misfeasance in Public Office depending on circumstances."
47. All reports on audit investigations are made available to the Interception of Communications
Commissioner (§4.6.3).
48. §§4.6.4 to 4.6.7 address oversight by the Interception of Communications Commissioner:
"4.6.4 The Interception of Communications Commissioner has oversight of:
a) the issue of Section 94 Directions by the Secretary of State enabling the Intelligence Services to
acquire BCD;
b) the Intelligence Services' arrangements in respect of acquisition, storage, access, disclosure,
retention and destruction; and
c) the management controls and safeguards against misuse which the Intelligence Services have put in
place.
4.6.5 This oversight is exercised by the Interception of Communications Commissioner on at least an
annual basis, or as may be otherwise agreed between the Commissioner and the relevant Intelligence
Service.
4.6.6 The purpose of this oversight is to review and test judgements made by the Secretary of State and
the Intelligence Services on the necessity and proportionality of the Section 94 Directions and on the
Intelligence Services' acquisition and use of BCD, and to ensure that the Intelligence Services' policies
and procedures for the control of, and access to BCD are (a) are sound and provide adequate
safeguards against misuse and (b) are strictly observed.
4.6.7 The Interception of Communications Commissioner also has oversight of controls to prevent and
detect misuse of data acquired under Section 94, as outlined in paragraph 4.6.2 and 4.6.3 above."
49. The Secretary of State and the Intelligence Services must provide the Interception of
Communications Commissioner with "all such documents and information as he may require for the
purpose of enabling him to exercise the oversight described…" (§4.6.8)
Internal Section 94 Handling Arrangements
50. In addition to the published Section 94 Handling Arrangements, both GCHQ and MI5 have their
own internal Section 94 Handling Arrangements, which were also in force from 4 November 2015.
These reflect and supplement the published Section 94 Handling Arrangements. They are not
separately set out in detail here.
www.bailii.org/cgi-bin/format.cgi?doc=/uk/cases/UKIPTrib/2016/15_110-CH.html&query=([2016])+AND+(UKIPTrib)+AND+(15_110-CH)
38/53