FOI Request - Communications Data

Request 101003369733

1. Since 1 January 2018, on how many occasions has your council obtained the 'communications data' (e.g. Call Data Records, or CDRs) of individuals from mobile telecoms providers, either directly or indirectly through another agency (e.g. Met Police, Home Office, etc.)? Please break this down into:

a) number of separate occasions these were requested
b) number of individual phone numbers for which CDRs were requested
c) the legal basis for the requests (please specify the number of requests per legal basis. For example, “total requests: 3, Investigatory Powers Act – 2, Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 -- 1”)
d) the particular legislation used e.g. PACE, RIPA, IP Act (number of instances as a percentage of the total)
e) what percentage of requests for that data that were rejected, and the reasons for the rejection.

For guidance, CDRs are part of 'communications data' from a telecoms company. Please see this document, particularly page 13: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/426248/Acquisition_and_Disclosure_of_Communications_Data_Code_of_Practice_March_2015.pdf

2. Since 1 January 2018, has your council purchased or otherwise received (including free of charge) any anonymised mobile phone communications data sets (otherwise known as anonymised CDRs), be they of individuals or aggregate data. (For your information, an example of commercial 'big data' for mobile phones can be found here: https://thenextweb.com/uk/2012/10/09/telefonica-launches-big-data-analysis-service-for-business-and-local-authorities/)

a) If yes, please state on how many occasions and when
b) From which telecoms providers the communications data originated
c) If purchased via a third-party, please specify which company
d) The intended use of that data
e) The total amount spent, if anything
f) If not purchased but nonetheless shared, please state the name of the body that provided the data

Response 24-08-2023

1.&2. Not held. We have not obtained any Communications Data since 2018 or purchased or otherwise received (including free of charge) any anonymised mobile phone communications data sets. Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information not held.