DETAILS of every phone call, email and period of time spent on the internet by the public would be held on a British government database under a plan to combat crime and terrorism. Internet service providers (ISPs) and telecommunications companies would hand over the records to the Home Office, who would hold them for at least a year, The Times reported today. Police and security services would be able to access the information with permission from the courts. The proposal is part of a plan aimed at creating uniform record-keeping following the terrorist bombings on London's public transport system on July 7, 2005. Since last October, telecoms companies have been required to keep records of phone calls and text messages for 12 months and police and security services can access them with a warrant issued by the courts. Under the new proposals, that requirement would extend to internet, email and voice-over-internet use and the records would be held by the Government, rather than individual companies.
