Ibrahim Hasan may have misstated the position when he wrote that a witness on a housing estate who discloses information about anti-social behaviour is considered a covert human intelligence source.

In his thoughtful and useful article, he states that section 29(8) of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 defines covert human intelligence sources (CHISs).

In fact, it is section 26(8) that defines the characteristics of a CHIS.

The two scenarios envisaged by subsection 8 are both relational and rely entirely on information gathered in the course of a ‘personal or other relationship’.

On this basis alone, it is difficult to see how a resident who witnesses anti-social behaviour on their housing estate, and who subsequently reports this to their landlords or the police for action, falls within this definition; and it seems that the law relating to the use of such witnesses or complainants remains unaffected by the Protection of Freedoms Bill.

Jon Mack, Southern Housing Group, London EC1