16 December 2025
The Rt Hon. the Lord Beamish PC, Chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament (ISC) has today made the following statement:
“On Friday last week, it was announced that there would be significant reforms to Defence intelligence functions – including the launch of a single organisation for all Defence intelligence units and organisations.
Not only was the ISC not properly informed in advance of this announcement, but there had been no prior consultation, or any information of substance provided to the Committee on what the MoD itself has described as a “major overhaul of Defence’s intelligence organisations” under the leadership of the Chief of Defence Intelligence.
The Justice and Security Act 2013 and the ISC’s Memorandum of Understanding clearly place the intelligence activities undertaken by the Chief of Defence Intelligence – including intelligence collection, analysis and training – under the remit of the Intelligence and Security Committee.
The lack of consultation and notification on this matter is therefore completely unacceptable. I wrote to the Secretary of State for Defence on Friday to convey my deep disappointment with the manner in which this was relayed to the Committee. The Committee has only now, this morning, received an apology from the Secretary of State for Defence.
As the reforms mark a significant reshaping of the way in which intelligence activities are structured within Defence, the Committee will be requiring the Secretary of State for Defence to appear before it to brief us fully. The Committee will then take a view.”
12:17, 16 December 2025
15 December 2025
The Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament has today published its Annual Report 2023-2025, and has also issued a press notice:
15:17, 15 December 2025
16 October 2025
The Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament has today provided the following Press Notice:
16:15, 16 October 2025
15 October 2025
The Chairs of the Home Affairs Committee, Justice Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee, Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, and the Chair and Deputy Chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament met the Director of Public Prosecutions and his team today. There was a constructive discussion about the reasons for the recent dropping of charges against two individuals under the Official Secrets Act. Committees will now be considering what further action to take.
18:00, 15 October 2025
21 July 2025
The Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament has today provided the following Press Notice regarding its Inquiry into the loss of data relating to ARAP applicants:
17:23, 21 July 2025
17 July 2025
The Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament has today provided the following Press Notice:
12:19, 17 July 2025
16 July 2025
ISC Response to comments made by the Rt Hon. Sir Ben Wallace KCB on the Radio 4 ‘Today’ programme regarding the remit of the Committee:
Reference was made this morning to Defence Intelligence engaging with the Intelligence and Security Committee voluntarily. That is not the case. The Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament is set up under statute: the Justice and Security Act 2013 gives it legal powers. Under the Justice and Security Act 2013, the Committee has statutory oversight of Defence Intelligence: there is nothing voluntary about it.
Reference was also made to the Committee not being able to look at any ongoing or current intelligence operation. That is also not the case. While the Committee may not have a right to require information on current operations (it can require information on all other matters concerning the organisations it oversees), it is still able to look at current operations – with the agreement of Ministers – and has done so on numerous occasions.
12:02, 16 July 2025
14 July 2025
The Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament has today provided the following Press Notice, following its meeting with the Prime Minister:
15:30, 14 July 2025
10 July 2025
The Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament has today published the following report ‘Iran’, and has also issued a press release:
10:27, 10 July 2025
1 May 2025
The Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament has today provided the following Press Notice:
11:00, 1 May 2025
