On 7 October 2019 the Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the United States of America on Access to Electronic Data for the Purpose of Countering Serious Crime (“the Agreement”) was laid before Parliament under section 20(1)(a) of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010. The Agreement permits the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to acquire, or obtain access to, electronic communications held or transmitted by US companies and permits the Government of the United States of America to acquire, or obtain access to, the content of communications held or transmitted by UK companies.