Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department is monitoring content that is publicly available on social networking sites using overt monitoring techniques.
Answered by Sarah Newton
The Home Office does seek to monitor or access information published on social media, where relevant and available, to support specific investigations and conduct research. Such activity is only conducted where there is an identified business need, in line with Home Office objectives.
Open source data, including information publically available online, is of increasing importance and it is right that the Department seek to take account of all available relevant information.
Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what bi-lateral discussions she has had with her counterparts in which EU member states on the long-term status of UK citizens in those member states.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The Government has repeatedly stated that there will be no immediate changes in the circumstances of UK nationals and their family members entering or currently residing in the European Union.
During the period of the negotiations, the UK remains a full member of the EU, entitled to all the benefits and obligations of membership. We have published guidance on gov.uk which makes this clear.
It is a Government priority to protect the legal rights of British nationals living in EU countries, as well as EU nationals in the UK, and we are confident that we will be able secure those things together during discussions with our EU partners.
As part of this process, the Secretary of State will continue to work closely with EU counterparts and with relevant stakeholders.
Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help secure the long-term status of UK citizens in other EU member states before Article 50 negotiations formally begin; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The Government has repeatedly stated that there will be no immediate changes in the circumstances of UK nationals and their family members entering or currently residing in the European Union.
During the period of the negotiations, the UK remains a full member of the EU, entitled to all the benefits and obligations of membership. We have published guidance on gov.uk which makes this clear.
It is a Government priority to protect the legal rights of British nationals living in EU countries, as well as EU nationals in the UK, and we are confident that we will be able secure those things together during discussions with our EU partners.
As part of this process, the Secretary of State will continue to work closely with EU counterparts and with relevant stakeholders.
Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether information relating to health or medical conditions has been included in any bulk personal datasets held by the security and intelligence agencies.
Answered by John Hayes
I refer the Honourable Member for Hammersmith to PQ 36125, which I answered on 12 May 2016.
Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the security and intelligence agencies have held a bulk personal dataset of medical records sourced from UK or overseas healthcare providers.
Answered by John Hayes
I refer the Honourable Member for Hammersmith to PQ 36125, which I answered on 12 May 2016.
Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the security and intelligence agencies have held medical records as part of their bulk personal datasets.
Answered by John Hayes
I refer the Honourable Member for Hammersmith to PQ 36125, which I answered on 12 May 2016.
Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's factsheet on the Investigatory Powers Bill, dated 30 October 2015, on what date and through what process the use of equipment interference was avowed for use by the security and intelligence agencies.
Answered by John Hayes
The use of equipment interference by the security and intelligence agencies was avowed on 6th February 2015 when the Government published a draft Equipment Interference Code of Practice detailing the procedures and safeguards that apply to the power. The use of equipment interference by the security and intelligence agencies is authorised under Sections 5 and 7 of the Intelligence Services Act 1994 and statutory oversight is provided by the Intelligence Services Commissioner.
Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with her Saudi Arabian counterpart on the use of the advanced cyber-crime courses provided by the College of Policing to target pro-democracy activists in that country.
Answered by Mike Penning
We are rightly proud of the British model of policing by consent and of the high level of skill and expertise across policing in this country. The College of Policing, which is independent of Government, ensures that respect for human rights and dignity is integral to each programme it delivers.
Course developers and trainers are required to include a bespoke human rights and ethical decision-making element in each course. Before undertaking any international work, the College refers to the International Policing Assistance Board (IPAB), which assesses all requests against British values and interests. IPAB comprises policing representatives and those from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Home Office, Ministry of Defence, Department for International Development and devolved administrations.
The College always acts in accordance with HM Treasury’s guidelines on ‘Managing Public Money’, which includes guidance on commercial charging rates. The Home Office do not keep records on the travel of College of Policing officials.
Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent representations she has received on the College of Policing's relationship with Saudi Arabia.
Answered by Mike Penning
We are rightly proud of the British model of policing by consent and of the high level of skill and expertise across policing in this country. The College of Policing, which is independent of Government, ensures that respect for human rights and dignity is integral to each programme it delivers.
Course developers and trainers are required to include a bespoke human rights and ethical decision-making element in each course. Before undertaking any international work, the College refers to the International Policing Assistance Board (IPAB), which assesses all requests against British values and interests. IPAB comprises policing representatives and those from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Home Office, Ministry of Defence, Department for International Development and devolved administrations.
The College always acts in accordance with HM Treasury’s guidelines on ‘Managing Public Money’, which includes guidance on commercial charging rates. The Home Office do not keep records on the travel of College of Policing officials.
Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many officials in (a) her Department and (b) the College of Policing have travelled to Saudi Arabia to discuss the British police force training given to the Saudi Arabian police force in the last three years.
Answered by Mike Penning
We are rightly proud of the British model of policing by consent and of the high level of skill and expertise across policing in this country. The College of Policing, which is independent of Government, ensures that respect for human rights and dignity is integral to each programme it delivers.
Course developers and trainers are required to include a bespoke human rights and ethical decision-making element in each course. Before undertaking any international work, the College refers to the International Policing Assistance Board (IPAB), which assesses all requests against British values and interests. IPAB comprises policing representatives and those from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Home Office, Ministry of Defence, Department for International Development and devolved administrations.
The College always acts in accordance with HM Treasury’s guidelines on ‘Managing Public Money’, which includes guidance on commercial charging rates. The Home Office do not keep records on the travel of College of Policing officials.