Benyon defends Government data monitoring plans

GOVERNMENT proposals to enable the monitoring of emails, telephone calls and web usage in the UK will help it in the fight against terrorism, according to the MP for Newbury.Conservative MP Richard Benyon rebuffed claims from critics that Government plans to extend the ability of its communications headquarters – its listening agency – to monitor all phone calls, email and internet use in the UK were intrusive and ‘Orwellian’.

While state organisations will not be able to access the content of electronic communications, they will be able to see the time, duration and dialling numbers of a phone call under the proposed legislation.

Mr Benyon said that the most important aspect of the proposed changes were that they carried a vigorous legal framework, and would allow the police and security services to operate in a highly-regulated way.

“Communications have changed dramatically since the last change was made; communications systems are used by criminals, and it is every Government's to protect people from harm,” he said.

“Unlike previous Government proposals, there will be no Government database, and all data monitored will be destroyed after a year.”

Newbury Green Party spokes-man Adrian Hollister, who has spent a large part of his career in the IT sector, said tht he felt the move was dangerous.

“The Government wants to look at everything you do electronically – phones, email, social networking, browsing, blog entries – you name it,” he said.

“Quite frankly, I would oppose any type of social manipulation, especially for political, military or terrorist goals.

“The risk is that George Orwell’s portrait of a nightmare state could easily come true here. If left unchecked, it will be possible for the state to examine your personal life in detail. They will be able to do this without your consent.”

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