Advancing technology is behind a big jump last year in the number of warrants issued giving police permission to tap phones or intercept post in the Isle of Man.

That's according to the Island's Interception of Communications Commissioner Clare Faulds.

The warrants are authorised by the Chief Minister and it's the commissioners job to make sure permission is given properly.

The information is in an annual report to Tynwald this month.

The report reveals there were 64 warrants issued last year, that's more than four times more than in 2012.

61 of them were for interception by phone and three by post - 52 of them were cancelled by the start of this year and 12 still in force.

Clare Faulds believes the figure in 2013 was so much higher because of a need to keep pace with technological advances and rapidly changing communication practices.

She is also satisfied all warrants were issued correctly, and all were for the prevention or detection of serious crime.