Surveillance Powers

The request was partially successful.

Dear Glasgow City Council,

I would be obliged if you can provide the following information under the provisions of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

1. Number of officials who can authorise directed surveillance under the provisions of the regulation of investigatory powers (scotland) act 2000.
2. Job titles of the above officials.
3. Details of training undertaken by the officials, including the dates that the training was undertaken.
4. Number of officials who as part of their duties would
undertake any directed surveillance.
5. Job titles of the above officals.
6. Details of training undertaken by the officials, who undertake the surveillance, including the dates that the training was undertaken.
7. Number of officials who can authorise the interception of communications under the provisions of the regulation of investigatory powers act 2000.
8. Job titles of the above officials.
9. Details of training undertaken by the officials, including the dates that the training was undertaken.
10. Numbers of officials who can authorise the use of a covert human intelligence source under the provisions of the regulation of investigatory powers (scotland) act 2000.
11. Job titles of the above officials.
12. Details of training undertaken by the officials, including the dates that the training was undertaken.
13. Please also confirm if your authority allow untrained officials to undertake directed surveillance.

If you believe that the cost of providing the above information would exceed the permitted limit please contact me in order that the request can be amended in order not to exceed.

Please supply the requested information in a electronic format.

Yours faithfully,

Thomas Ward

Customer Care Centre, Glasgow City Council

New Service Request was submitted: RQST00003840958
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CED_FOI, Glasgow City Council

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Dear Mr Ward
 
Thank you for your email of 24 February 2012 requesting information under
the Freedom of Information Act.
 
Please find attached your response
 
Yours sincerely
 
 
 
Ayshea Brown
Team Manager
 

Glasgow - Proud Host City of the 2014 Commonwealth Games and Host Council
of the 2012 Olympic Games

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Dear Glasgow City Council,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Glasgow City Council's handling of my FOI request 'Surveillance Powers'.

I would like to offer my thanks for your reply but would be obliged if you could review the following sections of your reply?

Extract from your reply

Part I Chapter II of the RIPA covers the acquisition of telecommunications traffic data and subscriber information; this council is not authorised to exercise any other powers under the RIPA and has not done so. In particular, local authorities such as the council are not permitted to carry out the interception of communications under the RIPA and, accordingly, the council does not hold information in response to parts seven, eight and nine of your request. Therefore this information would be exempt under Section 17 of the Act. Accordingly we are unable to comply with this part of your request

Can you please explain why your council are not permitted to carry out the interception of communications? Further FOI requests to neighbouring authorities has established that they are permitted to do so and have officers trained and authorised to undertake such activity.

Extract from your reply

Additionally, the council is of the view that some of the information which you have requested is exempt from a request under section 1 of the Act because of the exemption contained in section 35(1)(a) of the Act and, also, section 35 (1) (g) together with section 35(2) of the Act. In particular, the council believes that job titles of staff who may undertake directed surveillance and the details of any training undertaken by staff involved in the authorisation or undertaking of directed surveillance under the RIPSA is exempt information as its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice substantially the prevention or detection of crime or the use of the council’s statutory powers to ascertain whether a person has failed to comply with the law.

The council recognises that, even where it considers section 35(1) to apply to information which it holds, the council may be required to disclose this information where the public interest is best served by disclosure of the information. While the council recognises the importance of openness and transparency in the use of its powers, it also recognises that there is a strong public interest in ensuring the prevention of or detection of crime and in the administration of justice through the obtaining of evidence of the commission of a crime. In this instance, the council believes that the public interest in the latter outweighs the interest in openness and transparency and that withholding of the information which you have requested is appropriate in the public interest.

Can you please explain your reasons for providing the above in particular how providing the requested information could prejudice substantially the prevention or detection of crime or the use of the council’s statutory powers to ascertain whether a person has failed to comply with the law. I have not asked for details of any particular surveillance operation or details of the nature of training provided to the surveillance officers. The information reuested is simply to establish the job titles of the the officers who can undertake surveillance and what training they have undertaken. I can see no reason as how the prevention or detection or crime could be prejudiced by providing this information. I would also ask for consideration to be taken that all of the other councils in the west of Scotland have happily provided this.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address:
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/su...

Yours faithfully,

Thomas Ward

Customer Care Centre, Glasgow City Council

New Service Request was submitted: RQST00003896937
You can simply reply to this Email, and your reply
will automatically be associated with this Service Request

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Campbell, Catherine(CED), Glasgow City Council

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Good afternoon
 
I refer to your request for a formal review made in connection with your
Freedom of Information Request.

I attach an acknowledgement letter for your information.

Regards
 
Catherine
 
 
Catherine Campbell
Senior Paralegal
Glasgow City Council
Corporate & Property Law
City Chambers, East Building
23 Montrose Street
GLASGOW
G1 1RE
Phone: 0141 287 4680
E-mail: [email address]
 
 
 

Glasgow - Proud Host City of the 2014 Commonwealth Games and Host Council
of the 2012 Olympic Games

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CED_FOI, Glasgow City Council

2 Attachments

Dear Mr Ward
 
Thank you for your email received on 16 April 2012.
 
Please find attached your response.
 
Yours sincerely
 
 
 
 
 
Annemarie O'Donnell
Executive Director - Corporate Services
 
 

Glasgow - Proud Host City of the 2014 Commonwealth Games and Host Council
of the 2012 Olympic Games

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