Government Officials continue push for IMP: Big Brother Watches on
A band of home office officials are still pushing for the big brother style central database of emails, web browsing, phone data and location tracking, even though the government said that they won’t consider reviewing the scheme until at least 2010 – and possibly not at all.
A spokeswoman for the Home Office has confirmed that they have a small team that is “working on maintaining our capabilities in this area”.
The scheme is called that Interception Modernisation Programme (IMP) and is aimed at clamping down on acts of terrorism. In a meeting earlier this month with the Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA), counter terrorism minister Vernon Coaker refused to let other members of parliament (MPs) to see a presentation on the scheme.
“The results of the public consultation will be used to inform any decisions on the programme’s preferred solution and safeguards and to determine whether future legislation is needed,” he said
The government assures us that no decisions have been made regarding the scheme, and reports revealed last week said that the Communications Data Bill (CDB) – which was due to include details on IMP – will not be included in the Queen’s Speech in four days time.
The scheme has already cost tax payers around £1 billion when it began in 2007, and the team involved has grown alongside the level of communication with ISPs.
The scheme is strongly opposed by many MPs, and many discussions have been held at Whitehall causing delays to the CDB.
The Home Office said: “The Government is committed to maintaining the communications data capability and we intend to bring forward proposals to achieve this. We recognise however that this is a highly sensitive issue and because of that there is sufficient time to hold a proper public debate”.
The IMP is backed by the UK’s intelligence services GCHQ and MI6, however leading voices in the Treasury and Cabinet Office think the £12 billion set aside to pay for the scheme is outrageous, and whether that amount of money is justified in relation to the difficulties cause to the law through the illegal communications activities.
The Home Office wants to have everyone understand what the scheme will do, and hopes to reach an amicable agreement so they are bringing forward a “consultation paper, outlining the challenges the UK faces, setting out how we believe these challenges can be overcome, and seeking views on the proposals and the safeguards proposed,” it said.
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