The Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament (ISC) has met today for the first time in this Parliament and elected the Rt Hon. Dominic Grieve QC, MP as its Chairman.  The Committee also discussed and set out its work priorities for the year ahead and this is detailed in the attached press release.

The following appeared on the House of Commons Votes and Proceedings record for yesterday (Thursday 16 November 2017): 

8. Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament
Ordered, That Richard Benyon, Ian Blackford, Caroline Flint, Mr Dominic Grieve, David Hanson, Mr Kevan Jones and Mr Keith Simpson be appointed to the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament under section 1 of the Justice and Security Act 2013.—(Michael Ellis.)

The following appeared on the House of Lords Order of Business for Tuesday 21 November 2017: 

Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament
The Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Evans of Bowes Park) to move that this House approves the nomination of Lord Janvrin and the Marquess of Lothian as members of the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament.

The Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament has today issued a press statement which summarises its work since the publication of its most recent Annual Report in July 2016.

The Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament has today published its UK Lethal Drone Strikes in Syria Report and also issued a press release.

The Chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament, the Rt. Hon. Dominic Grieve QC MP, has today issued the following statement:

The Committee is aware of the allegations that the former President of the United States, Barack Obama, tasked GCHQ to 'wire tap' the now President of the United States, Donald Trump, during the 2016 US Presidential election.

First, I should make clear that the President of the United States is not able to task GCHQ to intercept an individual's communications.

Second, long-standing agreements between the Five Eyes countries means that the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand cannot ask each other to target each other's citizens or individuals that they cannot themselves target, or in any other way seek to circumvent their own or each other's legal and policy obligations.

Third, an individual can only be the target of interception by GCHQ under a warrant signed by a Secretary of State. Such warrants can only authorise action where it is necessary and proportionate for a valid national security purpose. It is inconceivable that those legal requirements could be met in the circumstances described.

I note GCHQ's public denial of the potentially damaging allegations against them. This was an unusual step by the Agency, but it clearly indicates the strength of feeling about this issue, and I echo that sentiment.

The following motion was agreed in the House of Commons yesterday:

The Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament has today published its 2015-2016 Annual Report covering the period between the appointment of the new Committee in September 2015 and June 2016.