COVERT HUMAN INTELLIGENCE SOURCES
CODE OF PRACTICE

Pursuant to Section 71 of the
Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000

Commencement

This code applies to every authorisation of the use or conduct by public authorities of covert human intelligence sources carried out under Part II of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 which begins on or after the day on which this code comes into effect.

• Chapter 1: BACKGROUND
  • General extent of powers
  • Use of material in evidence
• Chapter 2: GENERAL RULES ON AUTHORISATIONS
  • Necessity and proportionality
  • Collateral intrusion
  • Combined authorisations
  • Directed surveillance against a potential source
  • Central record of all authorisations
  • Retention and destruction of the product
  • The Intelligence Services, MOD and HM Forces
• Chapter 3: SPECIAL RULES ON AUTHORISATIONS
  • Confidential information
  • Communications subject to legal privilege
  • Communications involving confidential personal information and confidential journalistic material
  • Vulnerable individuals
  • Juvenile sources
• Chapter 4: AUTHORISATION PROCEDURES FOR COVERT HUMAN INTELLIGENCE SOURCES
  • Authorisation procedures
  • Information to be provided inapplications for authorisation
  • Duration of authorisations
  • Reviews
  • Renewals
  • Cancellations
  • Management of Sources
  • Tasking
  • Management responsibility
  • Security and welfare
  • Additional rules
  • Recording of telephoneconversations
  • Use of covert human intelligence source with technical equipment
• Chapter 5: OVERSIGHT
• Chapter 6: COMPLAINTS
• Annex A

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