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How the Committee works

…academics and journalists, and other interested parties. The Committee is supported in its work by the Office of The Intelligence and Security Committee, a small team of analysts and investigators…

09:04, 17 November 2020

Accessibility

…essential to providing our services. Any new PDF documents we publish will aim to meet accessibility standards. How we tested this website Our website was tested for compliance with the…

13:40, 15 January 2021

Publications

…the transcript of that session will be listed on this page. Written submissions associated with reports will also be listed on this page where the author has given their consent….

16:07, 05 November 2020

Privacy

…circumstances (for example, where accuracy is contested) to request that the processing of your personal data is restricted. You have the right to object to the processing of your personal…

12:41, 03 November 2020

10 July 2023

10 July 2023

The Committee reiterates its deepest sympathies to the families of those affected by the Manchester Arena attack.

The Committee has thoroughly considered the Manchester Arena Inquiry Report Volume 3 which was issued on 2 March, and its related closed recommendations which were issued on 5 June. These raise important issues which will ensure that lessons are learned from the tragic events of 22 May 2017.

The Committee has noted the suggestion by Sir John Saunders, the Chairman of the Manchester Arena Inquiry, that the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament might conduct monitoring of his closed recommendations, and the Committee has considered whether it is the right body to do so. The Committee agrees with Sir John that it is important his recommendations must be implemented, and that an appropriate form of monitoring is essential to ensure that this happens.

In terms of monitoring Sir John’s recommendations however, the Committee considers that its direct accountability to Parliament, and the constraints it operates under in terms of public reporting, mean that it cannot be transparent about its work – and this will frustrate those who are invested in this work being taken forward. The Committee has concluded therefore that, while it will seek to do all it can through the implementation of its own recommendations, it is not the right body to monitor those proposed by Sir John’s Inquiry. Instead the Committee supports Sir John’s suggestion that the Investigatory Powers Commissioner monitor his recommendations, or that the Inquiry team be reconvened to do so.

11:11, 10 July 2023

5 November 2019

5 November 2019

Under the Justice and Security Act 2013, Members of the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament hold office for the duration of a Parliament and therefore vacate their posts upon the dissolution of Parliament. The new Committee will be appointed after the 2019 General Election.

Members are appointed by the Houses of Parliament (having been nominated by the Prime Minister in consultation with the Leader of the Opposition). The Chair of the Committee is elected by its Members.

16:09, 5 November 2019

23 October 2013

23 October 2013


Open Evidence Session

At 14:00 on Thursday 7 November, the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament will be holding an Open Evidence Session with the three heads of the UK Intelligence Agencies:

  • Sir Iain Lobban, Director, GCHQ;
  • Mr Andrew Parker, Director General, Security Service; and
  • Sir John Sawers, Chief, Secret Intelligence Service.

This will be the Committee’s first Open Evidence Session: it will be the first time the three heads of the Intelligence Agencies have appeared in public together to talk about their work.

The session will give an insight into the world of intelligence, and the work the Agencies do on behalf of the UK. It represents a very significant step forward in terms of the openness and transparency of the Agencies. The Committee will question the Agency Heads on the work of the Agencies, their current priorities and the threats to the UK. Among other things it will cover the terrorist threat, regional instability and weapons proliferation, cyber security and espionage. However, since this is a public session, it will not cover details of intelligence capabilities or techniques, ongoing operations or sub judice matters. The Committee questions the Agencies about these details in their closed sessions.

The session will be held on the Parliamentary estate and will last approximately an hour and a half. It will be broadcast on www.parliamentlive.tv.

The session will be broadcast on a short time delay. The time delay is a security mechanism to allow the Committee to pause the broadcast if anything is mentioned which might endanger national security or the safety of those working for the Agencies. A similar process was used during the public hearings for the Iraq Inquiry.

There will be a limited number of seats available in the meeting room itself. For security reasons, the Committee has agreed that for this first Open Session these seats will be available to full Parliamentary pass holders and a small number of print journalists only. A notification of the event has been posted on the parliamentary intranet and pass holders have been invited to apply for a seat, which will be allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.

Media arrangements are being dealt with separately.

11:04, 23 October 2013

24 February 2015

24 February 2015

The Chairman of the ISC, the Rt. Hon. Sir Malcolm Rifkind MP, has this morning issued the following statement: 

“None of the current controversy with which I am associated is relevant to my work as Chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament.

However, I have today informed my colleagues that while I will remain a member of the Committee, I will step down from the Chairmanship.

The Committee is due to be dissolved in little over a month with the prorogation of Parliament for the forthcoming General Election.  The main substantive work which needs to be completed will be the publication of our Privacy and Security Report during March.

I do not want the work of the Committee and the publication of the Report to be, in any way, distracted or affected by controversy as to my personal position.  I have concluded, therefore, that it is better that this important work should be presided over by a new Chairman.”

10:11, 24 February 2015

17 March 2017

17 March 2017

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.”

17:44, 17 March 2017