More promising news from the Interception of Communications Commissioner

I’ve been pretty critical of the Interception of Communications Commissioner in the past, especially the slowness in responding to news stories, so this is very welcome news:

Police forces across the country have been ordered to disclose full details about their use of controversial anti-terror laws to spy on journalists.

Sir Paul Kennedy, the Government’s Interception of Communications Commissioner, said he was launching a “full inquiry” into how police obtained telephone records to trace reporters’ confidential sources.

It was revealed at the weekend how officers used the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (Ripa) to order telecommunications companies to hand over call logs belonging to The Mail on Sunday newspaper, side-stepping a judge’s agreement to protect a confidential source.