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The Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) was established by the Intelligence Services Act 1994 to examine the policy, administration and expenditure of the Security Service, Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), and the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ). The Committee has developed its oversight remit, with the Government's agreement, to include examination of intelligence-related elements of the Cabinet Office including: the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC); the Assessments Staff; and the Intelligence, Security and Resilience Group. The Committee also takes evidence from the Defence Intelligence Staff (DIS), part of the Ministry of Defence (MOD), which assists the Committee in respect of work within the Committee's remit.
The Prime Minister appoints the ISC Members after considering nominations from Parliament and consulting with the leaders of the two main opposition parties. The Committee reports directly to the Prime Minister, and through him to Parliament, by the publication of the Committee's reports.
The Members are subject to Section 1(1)(b) of the Official Secrets Act 1989 and have access to highly classified material in carrying out their duties. The Committee takes evidence from Cabinet Ministers and senior officials – all of which is used to formulate its reports.
18 March 2010: The Intelligence and Security Committee’s Annual Report for 2009-2010 was laid before Parliament today by the Prime Minister. The Committee has issued the following Press Release, which can be found here. A copy of the 2009-10 Report can be found here, and a copy of the Government Response to the Report can be found here.
11 March 2010: The Intelligence and Security Committee’s Annual Report for 2008-2009 was laid before Parliament today by the Prime Minister. A copy of the Report can be found here. A copy of the Government Response to the Intelligence and Security Committe's Annual Report 2008-2009 can be found here.
The Committee has issued an accompanying Press Release, which can be found here.
5 March 2010: The Intelligence and Security Committee has today sent its Annual Report 2009-2010 and Review of the Guidance on Detainees to the Prime Minister. Publication is a matter for the Prime Minister, however the Committee has made clear that they expect this to take place as soon as possible.
19 February 2010: The Chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee has today written an open letter in reply to Human Rights Watch. The letter can be found here [PDF].
16 December 2009: The Intelligence and Security Committee has sent its 2008-09 Annual Report to the Prime Minister. Publication is a matter for the Prime Minister.
24 November 2009: On 18 November, the Cabinet Office provided the Intelligence and Security Committee with the Government's guidance for the intelligence and security Agencies and the military, regarding the detention and interviewing of detainees overseas. The Committee has previously expressed its disappointment at the delay in providing it with the guidance (eight months). We have been told that this delay was due to the complex legal nature of these issues, and the need to consolidate previously separate guidance into one version. The Committee will consider the material, take further evidence and seek independent legal advice, before reporting our findings to the Prime Minister.
16 September 2009: On 18 March 2009 the Prime Minister made a Written Ministerial Statement on Detainees. He said:
“we will publish our guidance to intelligence officers and service personnel about the standards that we apply during the detention and interviewing of detainees overseas once it has been consolidated and reviewed by the Intelligence and Security Committee. It is right that Parliament and the public should know what those involved in interviewing detainees can and cannot do. This will put beyond doubt the terms under which our agencies and service personnel operate…. In order to ensure that our systems are robust and to be certain that any lessons have been understood, I have asked the Intelligence and Security Committee to consider any new developments and relevant information, since their 2005 Report on Detention (Cm 6469) and their 2007 Report on Rendition (Cm 7171), building on the follow-up work that they have already undertaken.”
By way of clarification, the Cabinet Office confirmed that they would consolidate the guidance before submission to us.
Despite repeated requests, this guidance has still not been provided by the Cabinet Office. Therefore we are not yet able to begin our investigation.
19 May 2009: The Intelligence and Security Committee has published its Review of the Intelligence on the London Terrorist Attacks on 7 July 2005. A copy of the Review is available here. It was published by means of a Written Ministerial Statement which can be found here. The Committee has issued a press release which can be found here.
17 March 2009: The Committee has today issued a press release on 'Alleged complicity of the UK security and intelligence Agencies in torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment' which can be found here
The ISC produces an Annual Report each year and may, on occasion, produce special ‘ad hoc’ Reports. The Committee sends its Reports to the Prime Minister, and the Prime Minister then lays them before Parliament.
The Committee does not comment on its work programme or reports beyond any information given here.