MINISTERS are to enforce striking new powers to compel tech giants to hand over encrypted data to terror investigators within weeks.

The government will ask Parliament to nod through the new orders – dubbed Technical Capability Notices - as soon as the election is over, The Sun has learned.

9 Peter Barron, Vice-President, Communications and Public Affairs ; Simon Milner, Policy Director for Facebook, and Nick Pickles, Senior Public Policy Manager for Twitter in front of the Home Affairs Select Committee earlier in the year Credit: PA:Press Association

They mean police and MI5 can insist services like WhatsApp and Facebook remove all encryption from suspect messages themselves for the first time.

In a bitter stand off with the government, social media firms have opposed any action on encryption so far, arguing that it forces them to build back doors into their secure platforms that criminals can abuse.

Companies boast to customers that their messages are unhackable as a major selling point.

9 Heads at Google, Twitter, Facebook face MP questions earlier this year Credit: PA:Press Association

9 Injured victim of the Manchester bombing is helped by emergency services Credit: London News Pictures

Each order will have to be approved by a warrant signed by the Home Secretary and also approved by a senior judge.

Security chiefs have pleaded for them to be drawn up since the Westminster terror attack on March 22.

Terrorist killer Khalid Masood sent a final WhatsApp message just two minutes before he struck at the Commons, but police were unable to break into it without seizing the phone.

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One government minister told The Sun: “We will do this as soon as we can after the election, as long as we get back in. The level of threat clearly proves there is no more time to waste now.

“The social media companies have been laughing in our faces for too long.”

All tech companies with over 10,000 users now face having to significantly adapt their technology.

The Home Office quietly held a swift four week-long consultation on the new TCN powers, which closed on Friday last week.

9 Police assist victims of the Manchester terror attack Credit: PA:Press Association

9 Survivors of the suicide bombing in Manchester make their way home Credit: Getty Images

The landmark Investigatory Powers Act set out the potential powers last year, but a debate and a vote in both Houses of Parliament is now needed before they come into effect.

The new orders are also opposed by libertarian campaigners such as the Open Rights Group, who insist they put the public’s privacy and security at risk.

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9 Emergency services help victims of the Westminster terror attack Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

9 Casualties are attended to in the aftermath of the attack that killed five Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

9 Khalid Masood killed five people inn the attack Credit: PA:Press Association

But former Tory MP and ex-Army officer Tom Tugendhat, who is standing again, said: “The work done by the Home Office to ensure social media companies support the security services is essential.

“Tragically we have seen all too often that these companies are the preferred means of communication of those who seek to do us harm.

“They must have no hiding place.”

Former Labour Cabinet minister Baroness Jowell also attacked social media firms yesterday for peddling fake news reports, saying they “risk becoming agents of hate”.

She insisted: “Increasingly, the social media companies have to be better citizens, better and more principled citizens, than they are being shown to be at the moment”.