28 March 2003
The Prime Minister has approved the re-appointment of Sir Swinton Thomas as the Interception of Communications Commissioner from 11 April 2003 to 10 April 2006 under Section 57(1) of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.
Notes for Editors
Section 57(1) of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 provides for the Prime Minister, after consultation with the Foreign, Home and Northern Ireland Secretaries and the Scottish First Minister, to appoint the Interception of Communications Commissioner. The Commissioner must be a person who holds or has held high judicial office within the meaning of the Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876. The Commissioner is appointed for a three year period with the possibility of re-appointment.
The responsibility of the Commissioner is to keep under review the issue of interception warrants and the adequacy of the arrangements for ensuring the product of interception is properly handled. At the end of each calendar year, the Commissioner submits a report to the Prime Minister which is subsequently laid before Parliament and published.
Biographical Notes
Sir Swinton Thomas (72) served as a Judge of the High Court, Family Division from 1985 to 1990 and Queen’s Bench Division from 1990 to 1994. Sir Swinton served as a Lord Justice of Appeal from 1994 to 2000. On 11 April 2000 he was appointed as the Interception of Communications Commissioner under section 8(1) of the Interception of Communications Act 1985 (IOCA). When the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) came into force, section 8(1) of IOCA ceased to have effect and Sir Swinton was appointed under the RIPA.
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