The Home Office yesterday issued details of which bodies will have access to details of personal text, email and web use.

The measure is based on an EU directive and means that ISPs, mobile network operators and telecoms suppliers must store data on all use for 12 months. This information must then be made available to public sector bodies when they request it.

The Home Office also confirmed that under the Regulation of Investigatory Power Act, councils, health authorities and even the Health and Safety Executive will be given access to the personal communications data.

It is estimated that storage of the data by ISPs will cost about £50m.