Part 6: Bulk warrants Chapter 1: Bulk interception warrants Section 136: Bulk interception warrants
This section describes a bulk interception warrant and sets out the two conditions that a warrant issued under this chapter must meet.
	The main purpose for which a bulk interception warrant may be issued is limited to intercepting overseas-related communications or obtaining secondary data from such communications. This prevents a bulk interception warrant being issued for the primary purpose of obtaining communications between individuals in the British Islands.
	Subsection (3) defines "overseas-related communications" as communications that are sent or received by individuals outside the British Islands.
	A bulk interception warrant may authorise the interception of overseas-related communications, the obtaining of secondary data and the selection for examination of intercepted content or secondary data obtained under the warrant.
	Subsection (5) sets out the additional conduct that a bulk interception warrant authorises, where it is necessary or unavoidable to do what is required by the warrant. For example, this might include the interception of communications between persons in the British Islands if that interception is unavoidable in order to achieve the main purpose of the warrant. It also permits an interception warrant to authorise activity for obtaining secondary data.
Example:
A bulk warrant is sought for the interception of communications. The primary objective of the warrant is to obtain the communications of individuals believed to be outside the UK, which are likely to be of national security interest and may be selected for examination subsequently. Due to the nature of internet-based communications, it is inevitable that some communications between individuals in the UK will also be intercepted. In order to select for examination the content of those communications, a targeted examination warrant must be sought. This will need to be issued by the Secretary of State and approved by a Judicial Commissioner.