The government plans to install hundreds of bugging probes in telephone systems and computer networks and have already enlisted the aid of British Telecom and Vodafone to accomplish this.

Once in place the system, which is currently referred to as the Interception Modernisation Programme, would be the largest surveillance system in British history. In time it could act as a live tap on every electronic communication device in the country

However Shadow Home Secretary Dominic Grieve has spoken out against the scheme. He said: "Given the government's poor record on protecting data and seeing how significant an increase in power would be we need to have a national debate and the government would need to justify its need".