Legal Provision
The Tribunal is provided for by Part IV of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA).
Part IV of RIPA and the Investigatory Powers Tribunal Rules 2000 regulate:
- who may be appointed a member of the Tribunal
- the jurisdiction of the Tribunal,
- the obligations of organisations and individuals in providing information to the Tribunal
- the right of the Secretary of State to make Rules regarding the Tribunal,
- the disclosure of information
- aspects of any hearings deemed necessary by the Tribunal
- notification to the complainant
The IPT replaced the Interception of Communications Tribunal, the Security Service Tribunal, the Intelligence Services Tribunal and the complaints provision of Part III of the Police Act 1997 (concerning police interference with property) in October 2000.
The dissolution of these Tribunals and complaints procedures does not mean the public has any less recourse to independent investigation of complaints in this field. The IPT’s remit is wider than all of the previous complaints bodies combined. All conduct that was covered by past legislation, as well as some that was not, can now be investigated under RIPA.
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