FSA response to public consultation on access to communications data May 2003

Friday 12 September 2003

The Board will be aware that the Home Office is undertaking a public consultation on the regulation of access to communications data by public bodies. The aim of the consultation is to inform the determination of the appropriate balance between respecting privacy and protecting the public from crime.

The Board previously agreed (June 2002) that it was important that the new regulatory arrangements did not leave the FSA without the necessary powers to ensure to carry out thorough investigations in difficult cases where this was important to protect public health.

The Home Office consultation puts forward three alternative options for additional controls. This paper discusses these and makes recommendations as to how the FSA should respond to the consultation.