Part 5: Equipment interference Section 117: Renewal of warrants
Subsections (1), (2) and (3) provide that a warrant may be renewed by the Secretary of State, member of the Scottish Government or law enforcement chief where relevant. In order to be renewed, a warrant must remain necessary and proportionate, applying the same tests as for issuing a warrant. As with an application for an equipment interference warrant, the decision to renew the warrant must also be approved by a Judicial Commissioner. The additional protections for Members of Parliament, etc. (see section 111), for legally privileged material (section 112) for confidential journalistic material (section 113), and for sources of journalistic information (section 114) apply when renewing warrants as they do when issuing warrants. A warrant may not be renewed more than 30 days in advance of the warrant ceasing to have effect.