David Gauke MP Conservative MP for South West Hertfordshire. Read law at Oxford University.

Don't Spy On Us

In response to a constituent's email about the Don't Spy On Us campaign, David Gauke sent this message:

Thank you for contacting me about the ‘Don’t Spy on Us’ campaign.

I want to start by recognising the essential work that our intelligence agencies do for us day in, day out to keep us safe by confronting the diverse terrorist threat that this country continues to face.

It is important to balance protecting national security and protecting the British public with the potential intrusion on individuals’ rights to privacy that could be caused by intelligence activity.

That is why I am pleased that the work of the intelligence agencies is carried out in accordance with a strict legal and policy framework, which ensures that their activities are authorised, necessary and proportionate. There is rigorous oversight from Secretaries of State, the Interception of Communications Commissioner and the Intelligence Services Commissioner, and in Parliament from the Intelligence and Security Committee.

This oversight was strengthened by the Justice and Security Act 2013 which reformed the Intelligence and Security Committee. The Act made it a Committee of Parliament, providing greater powers, and increased its remit, including oversight of operational activity and the wider intelligence and security activities of Government.

I can assure you that GCHQ operates at all times in accordance with the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA). GCHQ’s activity is overseen by the commissioners, who analyse its work in detail. They also analyse some of the codes of practice that the agencies have in place to ensure their adherence to RIPA.

I hope this helps highlight the strength of the scrutiny that we have and the different layers of checks and balances that operate in this country. I believe that we have every reason to be proud of those oversight arrangements and of the work of our agencies.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.

Yours sincerely

David Gauke MP

Communications Data Bill

David Gauke was contacted by a constituent and gave this reply from the Security Minister James Brokenshire.

Links

David Gauke MP Website
David Gauke MP TheyWorkForyou.com
David Gauke MP Wikipedia
David Gauke MP Conservative Profile

News

2007-09-13 - ZDNet - UK failing to exploit open source: Author: Peter Judge; Summary: The UK's failure to make use of open source is a "scandal", according to open-source experts speaking at a key Westminster debate. ... There is almost no open source in use within the UK government, said David Gauke, Conservative MP for South West Hertfordshire. The Treasury runs open source on less than six percent of its servers and less than one percent of its overall IT infrastructure, with the Department for Children, Schools and Families, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and the Department for Work and Pensions/Health all having virtually no open-source software, Gauke said, referring to information he gained from parliamentary questions. The shadow chancellor, George Osborne, has estimated that open source could save five percent of the government's IT budget, which Gauke said would amount to £620m a year.

2007-07-03 - Kable - Government fights public spending website: Summary: The government is obstructing a bill aimed at establishing a new website for information on public sector spending. The bill, which originated in the House of Lords, is now being led by Conservative MP David Gauke. It would require the Treasury to create a government expenditure website, as well as giving the government the power to extend it to other public sector bodies, but the government belives it would cost too much. ... Gauke said "What better way of providing information is there than putting the details of public expenditure on to a single website, where people can study it and follow the money to see how government spending is done?"