Scores of officials in Hampshire are given the power to enter your home

Almost 1,000 snooping council officers in Hampshire have the power to enter your home if they think the answer to any of those questions might be yes.

The officials have the authority to enter properties at a moment’s notice without a warrant or police escort.

Campaigners Big Brother Watch argue the numbers show the citizens’ right to privacy has been undermined.

The group used the Freedom of Information Act to ask local councils for details on how many of their officers have been given the power to enter people’s homes based on the authorities granted under 1,043 different laws.

Nationally, 316 authorities responded, admitting they have a total of 14,793 – an average of 47 each.

But the true figure could be almost 20,000, because 115 councils refused to answer.

In Hampshire, seven authorities have higher than average numbers of officers holding powers of entry.

Test Valley Borough Council employs 113 people authorised to gain access to people’s homes or premises, Southampton City Council has 76, Winchester City Council 58 and Hampshire County Council 56.

While some of the powers are for what most would consider worthwhile reasons, such as checking children’s living conditions, looking for counterfeit goods or ensuring safety standards in workplaces, others seem slightly less reasonable.

These include checking illegal hypnotism isn’t taking place, checking if a hedge is too high, and to see if work is being carried out in connection with atomic energy or research.

Alex Deane, director of Big Brother Watch, said: “Once, a man’s home was his castle. Today the Big Brother state wants to inspect, regulate and standardise the inside of our homes.”