Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the current annual budget required to cover the cost of obtaining information, including IP addresses, from communication service providers in relation to criminal investigations.

Information relating to the cost of obtaining information from communication service providers in relation to criminal investigations is not held centrally by the Home Office.

Section 249 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 recognises that Telecommunications Operators and Postal Operators incur expenses in complying with requirements in the Act. The Act, therefore, allows for appropriate, minimal reimbursement to be made to them to cover these costs insofar as they do not suffer commercial disadvantage for complying with their notice. All other costs are expected to be met by the Telecommunications Operator. Section 22 of the Communications Data Code of Practice sets out further relevant detail in relation to Communications Data funding.