TICS Bill Passage Delayed A Week

Slow progress on the committee stage of the Telecommunications (Interception Capability and Security) Bill means the Government will not be able to pass the bill into law until next week.

MPs debated the bill after Question Time and the General Debate with the responsible minister Amy Adams moving amendments intended to reduce criticism of the bill.

It is still strongly opposed by Labour and the Greens and the vote on the first part was held just before 6pm and the second part around 8.30pm to the anger of many Labour MPs. However progress then slowed and the third part was not voted on until 9.50.

The House rose shortly before 10pm still debating part four of the bill. This means the Government can only return to the committee stage tomorrow and will not be able to complete the third reading until next week.

During the debate Adams repeatedly told the Opposition they were scaremongering and the bill did little but update existing legislation.

Opposition MPs were not convinced saying it gave the GCSB and ministers more intrusive powers over private communications and the operations of system operators.

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