Ivana Bacik (Independent)

As I stated on Second Stage, I support the prohibition on carrying out surveillance except in accordance with a valid authorisation or an approval. This is an important cornerstone of the Bill and is one of the reasons for which the legislation has received a broad welcome from civil liberties groups. It states that surveillance shall only be carried out in accordance with the procedures set out in the Bill. I do not want to be on record as only objecting to aspects of the Bill. I welcome this provision, since it sets out in a concise way a statutory framework for the carrying out of covert surveillance.