Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the contribution of encryption in protecting cyber security; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of introducing access requests under Technical Capability Notices.

This Government recognises the importance of online privacy and security safeguards such as strong encryption.

Technical Capability Notices can be used to maintain capabilities that provide for responsible and exceptional access to data by law enforcement and intelligence agencies, with service provider assistance, without undermining user privacy or security.