Investigatory Powers Bill to return to Parliament tomorrow

Damning reports be damned! Theresa May to force through the new Snoopers' Charter

The Investigatory Powers Bill is to be introduced to Parliament tomorrow despite a string of damning reports since the turn of the year suggesting that the Bill was flawed. The Bill has also drawn practical complaints from internet service providers (ISPs) that the proposals will impose extra costs on a sector that already operates on razor-thin margins.

The draft Bill will formally give the UK's secret services sweeping powers to monitor people's web browsing, and oblige internet service providers (ISPs) to keep detailed records of people's web browsing histories for up to a year.

According to The Independent, government whips have informed their opposite numbers that the Bill will be published on Tuesday, 1 March, while the second reading will come just two weeks later, with the committee stage set for 22 March. A final vote, making the Bill law, will come before the end of April.

Some ISPs have suggested that the Bill's onerous new responsibilities will put many smaller ISPs out of business.

David Davis MP, who resigned from the opposition front bench in 2008 in order to force the issue of identity cards to the forefront - and who has been consigned to the backbenches ever since - said that there was "no doubt" that the government planned to use the cover of the EU referendum vote to force through the Bill.

"When you work it out, it's a 300-page Bill - so that's something like five seconds to consider each line on second reading," said Davis. He added that there was "no operational reason to rush it through".

The government's keenness to rush through the legislation comes despite a series of reports criticising various aspects of the Bill, and widespread opposition.

At the beginning of February, The Science and Technology Committee called on the government clarify a series of vague terms and phrases in the draft Bill in order to clear up "significant confusion" among ISPs and others over the scope of the proposals.

The Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) went as far as to suggest that the Bill was so riddled with problems that it should be withdrawn and re-written.

The ISC listed plenty of concerns. It would like to see "class bulk personal dataset warrants" removed from the documents, and baulks at the confused definitions of "communications" data, which it describes as "currently inconsistent and confusing".

The Bill has also been criticised by a range of big technology and communications companies, concerned not just about the extra costs that the Bill will entail, but also the implications for things like encryption and privacy.