Part 1: Bulk Personal Datasets Third party bulk personal datasets New section 226I of the IPA 2016: Initial inspection
This section makes provision for an initial inspection period before a 3PD warrant is required. The initial inspection process is an important preliminary step which enables the intelligence service to inspect the contents of the dataset in order to determine whether access to the dataset would engage Part 7A and to consider whether to make an application for a 3PD warrant in respect of it. This section enables that process to be carried out in the absence of a 3PD warrant, making it a limited exception to the requirement in section 226F(requirement for authorisation by warrant). Subsection (1) sets out the circumstances in which it can be said that an initial inspection is being carried out and subsection (2) sets out the purposes for which the initial inspection may be carried out.
	Subsection (3) and (4) make clear that the initial inspection process will lead to a decision by the intelligence service as to whether to apply for an 3PD warrant. Subsection (5) provides that the intelligence service may examine the dataset after the end of the initial examination process for the specific purpose of making an application for a warrant.