The Regulation Of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, (RIPA), received royal assent in July 2000. Its supporting secondary legislation, the Lawful Business Practice Regulations 2000 (LBPR), became law in October 2000.

RIPA is part of the government’s crime fighting agenda and covers two main areas:

Surveillance; and

Monitoring/interception of electronic communications, for example
e-mail or Internet use.

Its main purpose is to ensure that relevant investigatory powers are used in accordance
with human rights.

LBPR’s main focus is in monitoring/interception of electronic communications and it requires compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

Here again, a clear obligation to respect human rights prevails.