Numerous news reports today (5 Aug 16) cite a National Audit Office report to the effect that TV Licensing, acting on behalf of the BBC, is employing technologies in its 'detector vans' so as to detect those who are watching iPlayer in their homes, in order that unlicensed viewers may be detected and caught. Reference was specifically made to the collection of information from home WiFi networks.

Given that this collection would likely constitute 'interception' in the meaning given to it in s 2(2) of RIPA:

1. Has authorisation been signed granting collection of this data? If so, who signed it?

2. What measures are put in place to safeguard the collateral information likely gained as a result of this collection? Statement of compliance with Data Protection Act etc is insufficient: what specific technical steps have been taken?

3. What factors did they take into account when authorising this collection, and how did they weight them, ie how did they come to the decision they did?

4. If WiFi sniffing (or other IP traffic interception techniques) are not used, then please give the details of any National Audit Office reports dealing with the deployment of so-called 'detector vans' and exactly what information is harvested from private homes and how.

If you are unable to answer the above questions, and given that the above information ought, by the provisions of RIPA itself, to be readily available at least internally, please give the factors which were taken into account when making *that* decision as to whether to release the information, namely how the public interest in understanding this kind of mass surveillance has been weighed against the commercial interests of Capita/TV Licensing/BBC and/or the detection/prevention of crime; and please also give the level of seniority at which this decision has been made.

If your are unable to deal with this request please provide the contact details of the relevant agency who can.

If TV Licensing collectors are unable to intercept information from domestic WiFi networks (whether technically or legally) please can you confirm this.