Investigatory Powers Draft Bill Joint Select Committee

(asked on 13th January 2016) - View Source

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions she has had with the Home Secretary on the oral and written evidence provided by the Government to the Joint Committee on the Draft Investigatory Powers Bill.


Answered by
Theresa Villiers Portrait
Theresa Villiers
This question was answered on 18th January 2016

I have been in regular contact with the Home Secretary on the Investigatory Powers Bill since drafting began last year. The Government is fully aware of the crucial importance of this legislation for combating terrorism in Northern Ireland. In November, the Home Secretary and I met to discuss the pre-legislative scrutiny process and the latest draft of the Bill that has been examined by the Joint Committee.

Between November and January, the Government provided detailed evidence to the Joint Committee, including the Home Secretary’s oral evidence given last week. The Government’s evidence has explained the provisions of the Bill in detail and has set out the necessity of the powers as well as the safeguards that are to apply.


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