The Government is today attempting to force through wide-ranging
new laws that would force Internet service providers to supply
details of electronic communications to the police and security
services, despite strong opposition from the House of Lords.
ISPs and telcos have said storing messages for the Government would
incur huge costs for their businesses. If the Government presses
ahead with the legislation these costs could be passed on to users.
Prime minister Tony Blair and home secretary David Blunkett are
determined to face down peers on the issue despite fears it could
prevent the Anti-Terrorism Bill getting on the statute book before
Christmas.
Yesterday, a Lords coalition insisted on reducing the scope of the
interception and disclosure powers to merely terrorist activities.
But, as Computer Weekly went to press, both 10 Downing Street and
the Home Office insisted the provisions would be put back in the
Bill in the House of Commons today and forced through the Lords.
A spokesman for the prime minister said there would be no more
concessions, after more than 10 Lords defeats.
He said the Bill as a whole is vital to counter terrorism, and
pointed out that Conservative party leader Iain Duncan Smith has
admitted there are close links between international terrorism and
organised crime.