Relevant Public Authorities
This section lists the public authorities on which powers are conferred under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) or other legislation, which can be investigated by the Tribunal.
For Interception of Communications
- The Security Service (MI5)
- The Secret Intelligence Service (MI6)
- Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ)
- Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA)*
- Metropolitan Police
- The Police Service for Northern Ireland (PSNI) formerly the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC)
- A Scottish Police Force
- HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC)
- The Ministry of Defence
*SOCA carries out authorised interception on behalf of a number of UK public authorities, but predominantly for the police.
For Intrusive Surveillance
- The Security Service (MI5)
- The Secret Intelligence Service (MI6)
- Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ)
- The Ministry of Defence
- One of Her Majesty's Armed Forces
- Any police force (including the Ministry of Defence Police, the police forces of HM Armed Forces and the British Transport Police)
- Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA)*
- HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC)
For entry onto and interference with property
- The Security Service (MI5)
- The Secret Intelligence Service (MI6)
- Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ)
- The Ministry of Defence
- One of Her Majesty's Armed Forces
- Any police force (including the Ministry of Defence Police, the police forces of HM Armed Forces and the British Transport Police)
- Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA)*
- HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC)
For directed surveilance and Covert Human Inteligence Sources
- The Security Service (MI5)
- The Secret Intelligence Service (MI6)
- Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ)
- The Ministry of Defence
- One of Her Majesty's Armed Forces
- Any police force (including the Ministry of Defence Police, the police forces of HM Armed Forces and the British Transport Police)
- Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA)
- Serious Fraud Office
- HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC)
- The Department of Food, Agriculture and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) - formerly the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF)
- The Department for Transport - formerly the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR)
- The Department of Health
- The Home Office UK Border Agency
- The Department of Work & Pensions (DWP) - formerly the Department of Social Security
- Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform - formerly The Department of Trade & Industry
- The National Assembly for Wales
- Any local authority
- The Environment Agency
- The Financial Services Authority
- The Food Standards Agency
- The Personal Investment Authority
- The Post Office
Only certain sections and individuals within the above organisations can obtain authorities for the use of directed surveillance or Covert Human Intelligence Sources. These are listed in Statutory Instrument 2000 No. 2417
For directed surveillance ONLY
- The Health & Safety Executive
- A Health Authority (as established under section 8 of the National Health Service Act 1977)
- A Special Health Authority (as established under section 11 of the National Health Service Act 1977)
- A Nationall Health Service Trust (as established under section 5 of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990)
- The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain
Only certain sections and individuals within the above organisations can obtain authorities for the use of directed surveillance. These are listed in Statutory Instrument 2000 No. 2417
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