Part 8: Oversight arrangements Chapter 1: Investigatory Powers Commissioner and other Judicial Commissioners Section 229: Main oversight functions
This section gives the IPC a broad remit to keep under review the use of investigatory powers. This section does not list each individual function that the Commissioner is to oversee. Instead it gives the Commissioner a wide remit to oversee the way public authorities intercept communications, acquire or retain communications data or carry out equipment interference. This section then lists additional matters not caught by that starting point, such as the acquisition, retention, use or disclosure of bulk personal data sets. The IPC will undertake, with the assistance of the Judicial Commissioners and staff, the functions currently undertaken by the Intelligence Services Commissioner, the Interception of Communications Commissioner and the Surveillance Commissioners. The IPC and other Judicial Commissioners will have discretion as to how they must fulfill their functions, but this must include audits, inspections and investigations.
	Subsection (4) explains that, to prevent inefficiency and duplication of oversight, the IPC will not oversee particular areas that are already subject to oversight by other individuals or bodies. The IPC will not oversee decisions by other judicial authorities or where information is obtained through a search warrant or production order issued by a judicial authority. The IPC will not oversee matters which are overseen by the Information Commissioner or the Investigatory Powers Commissioner for Northern Ireland.
	Subsection (6) and (7) seek to ensure that the oversight activities do not have a negative effect upon the ability of law enforcement agencies and security and intelligence agencies to perform their statutory functions. The Judicial Commissioners will have to decide for themselves if their proposed activity would, for example, prejudice national security or impede the effectiveness of operations. These duty not to act in a way that would have such an impact does not apply to the functions listed in subsection (8). Those are the functions which may be described as ‘judicial functions’ such as the authorisation functions of the Commissioners, deciding whether to approve the issuing, renewing or modification of a warrant.