Email snooping powers to win go-ahead despite abuse warnings

Ministers today vowed to press ahead with new powers to retain the email, text message, computer and phone records of every citizen despite warnings that the safeguards against abuse are inadequate.

Under the £2 billion plans - which will also cover social networking and gaming sites - telecom, internet and other firms will be required to keep records of their customers' communications for a year so they can be made available to police when necessary.

The Government insists that the powers, which already exist in more limited form, are essential for combating terrorism and that such data is currently used in 95 per cent of serious crime cases.

Examples include the capture of the murderers of Shakilus Townsend, 16, who was lured to his death in a "honey-trap" trick by rival gang members in Thornton Heath, and the conviction this year of the terrorists behind the plot to blow up transatlantic airliners flying out of Heathrow.

Despite such cases, the Home Office today revealed that 50 per cent of those who had responded to a government consultation on extending the powers believe that the safeguards to prevent abuse are insufficient.

By contrast, only 26 per cent of the respondents - who include police, MI5, prosecutors, civil liberties campaigners and members of the public - said that they were satisfied with the safeguards.

A similar lack of support was highlighted by a separate question in which 38 per cent of respondents to the consultation said they did not back the Government's approach towards retaining data, compared with only 29 per cent in favour. The remainder expressed no clear view.

Most of the critics said they thought the Government should "do nothing", in some cases because they believed existing powers to be sufficient, while others said they were opposed to "surveillance" in general.

Under the proposed system, which builds upon existing powers, police will be able to use the records to trace with whom suspects have been in contact. The records will not contain the actual content of calls or messages.