The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (Extraction of Information: Code of Practice) Regulations 2022

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations bring into force on 8th November 2022 a code of practice containing guidance on the exercise of the powers conferred by virtue of sections 37(1) and 41(1) of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act (“the 2022 Act”).

Sections 37(1) and 41(1) are in Chapter 3 of Part 2 of the 2022 Act. Chapter 3 of the 2022 Act introduces a new statutory power for the extraction of information from electronic devices. Section 37(1) provides that an authorised person may extract information stored on an electronic device if (i) the user of the device has voluntarily provided the device to an authorised person, and (ii) the user has agreed that the information stored on the device may be extracted by an authorised person. Section 41(1) provides that an authorised person may extract information stored on an electronic device if a user has died and immediately prior to their death they were the user of the device.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sectors is foreseen. However, the economic impact of the 2022 Act was assessed and published alongside the equality impact assessment, found online at www.gov.uk

A copy of the code of practice referred to in this instrument can be found online at www.gov.uk and hard copies can be obtained by writing to the Home Office, 2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DF.