Part 1: General Privacy Protections Section 14: Restriction on use of section 93 of the Police Act 1997
This section means that applications by law enforcement agencies for property interference authorisations under section 93 of the Police Act 1997 may not be made where the purpose of the interference is to obtain communications, private information or equipment data, if the applicant considers the conduct constitutes an offence under sections 1 to 3A of the Computer Misuse Act 1990 and the conduct can be authorised under an equipment interference warrant. This restriction does not remove or otherwise limit the power to authorise property interference under the Police Act 1997 where the purpose of the interference is not to obtain communications, equipment data or any other information. Nor does this section prohibit the use of other legislation (e.g. the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984) to authorise conduct that may otherwise constitute a Computer Misuse Act offence.