When people send emails or talk on mobile phones, they have a reasonable right to expect the details to remain private.

But that won't necessarily be so if the Government's so called Snoopers' Charter becomes law.

Home Secretary David Blunkett is looking again at the details after realising his legislation could be blocked in the Lords and a substantial number of Labour MPs opposed it.

But he is still likely to press on with giving a list of organisations power to apply for details of emails, the internet and private phone calls.

It is understandable the Government wants to gain information that would lead to the arrest of terrorists such as those who committed the atrocities on September 11 in the USA.

But it is surely going too far to allow all councils and quangos, such as the Food Standards Agency, the power to demand records without a court order.

These powers could easily be abused and could be used, for instance, by the authorities to find out the sources of critical stories about them in newspapers.

As Lewes MP Norman Baker said, it is unlikely a district council is going to stumble across a case of terrorism.

The Government should be extremely wary about extending this sort of surveillance power beyond a small and specialist group. It could easily be abused and democracy would be the loser.