Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Answer of 28 April 2014, Official Report, column 437W, on telecommunications: databases, whether she has yet completed her assessment of (a) the consequences for the UK of the decision of the European Court of Justice in Joined Cases C-293/12 and C-594/12 (Digital Rights Ireland and Seitlinger and Others) and (b) what implication that decision has for (i) enforcement of the Data Retention (EC Directive) Regulations 2009 and (ii) her powers to reimburse any expenses incurred by a public communications provider in complying with those Regulations.

The Government continues to consider the judgment of the European Court. At the present time we consider that the UK Data Retention (EC Directive) Regulations 2009 remain in force. Those in receipt of a notice under the Regulations have been informed that they should continue to observe their obligations as outlined in any notice.