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Silicon.com: Government hints at 'Snooping Bill' climb-d

------- Forwarded message follows ------- From: Owen Blacker <owen.blacker@pres.co.uk> To: "'UK Crypto list'" <ukcrypto@maillist.ox.ac.uk>, "'STAND list'" <plotting@netlists.liberty.org.uk> Subject: Silicon.com: Government hints at 'Snooping Bill' climb-down Date sent: Thu, 22 Jun 2000 09:21:08 +0100 Send reply to: ukcrypto@maillist.ox.ac.uk

-----Original Message----- From: NMTV.WebMaster@www.nmtv.net [mailto:NMTV.WebMaster@www.nmtv.net] Sent: Thursday, June 22, 2000 9:21 AM

Government hints at 'Snooping Bill' climb-down PUBLISHED: 0:30am on Thursday 22nd June 2000

Opponents to the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (RIP) Bill joined forces last night for a final push, amidst the first signs of a government climb-down.

Last night's meeting, hosted by the Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA), aimed to provide alternatives to the government's controversial suggestions for intercepting secure data online. Until now, lobby groups such as ISPA, the British Chambers of Commerce and the London Internet Exchange (LINX) have pursued separate campaigns.

The event followed concessions made on Monday by Lord Bassam, Home Office Minister in the House of Lords, who admitted that some areas of the Bill did need reviewing.

Lord McNally, Liberal Democrat front-bencher, explained: "The government showed signs that it would review the burden to business and that it would try to come up with a more precise definition of communications data - so that a request for simple information would not unlock the door to information on almost every aspect of an individual or company's life."

Lord Lucas of Crudwell, one of the Bill's most vocal opponents, added: "I was very surprised and very pleased. The new proposal won't allow government access to any more information than a telephone bill."

Last night's ISPA meeting was expected to rally behind this definition of communications data, which was first presented at an EU council meeting in 1995. Roland Perry, regulation officer at LINX, said that consensus was also expected on the situations in which government could bypass a magistrate's warrant.

A Home Office spokeswoman denied that changes were in the offing. She said: "We are absolutely not retreating over the RIP Bill. We are in discussions with businesses over their concerns, but we are not drawing up amendments to the Bill."

However, Lord Lucas said that formal amendments were expected next month, at the report stage of the Bill.

For related news, see: 'Snooping Bill goals slammed by EC powers' http://www.silicon.com/a38161 'Government under fire as RIP Bill debate continues' http://www.silicon.com/a38130 'Home Office issues Snooping Bill defence' http://www.silicon.com/a38107

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