Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will take steps to prevent rogue mobile telephone towers being set up to listen to people's calls without their knowledge.

The Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 makes it an offence for a person to interfere with wireless telegraphy or to use wireless telegraphy with intent to obtain information as to the contents, sender or addressee of a message of which neither he nor a person on whose behalf he is acting is an intended recipient, without lawful authority.

Investigative activity involving interference with property or wireless telegraphy is regulated by the Police Act 1997 and the Intelligence Services Act 1994 which sets out the high level of authorisation required before the police or security and intelligence agencies can undertake such activity. Use of these powers is overseen by the Intelligence Services Commissioner and the Office of Surveillance Commissioners.