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UK:Intelligence and Security Committee

01 January 1995

The government has announced the membership of the Intelligence and Security Committee set up under the Intelligence Services Act 1994 which came into force on 15 December (see Statewatch vol 3 no 6). The members are: Chair: Tom King MP (ex-Defence Secretary and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland); Alan Beith MP, Dr John Gilbert MP (former defence minister), Sir Archibald Hamilton MP (former armed services minister), Lord Howe QC (former Foreign Secretary), Barry Jones MP, Michael Mates MP (former Northern Ireland Minister), Allan Rogers MP and Sir Giles Shaw MP (former Home Office Minister). Of the nine members of the Committee five are former Conservative government Ministers. Its job is to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of MI6, MI5 and GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters) and is intended to provide "parliamentary oversight" of their activities.

All will have to sign the Official Secrets Act which imposes an absolute life-long duty of confidentiality. The responsible Ministers - the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and the Home Secretary - together with the heads of the agencies will decide what information will be given to the Committee. It will meet in the Cabinet Office - not in parliament - and be serviced by officials of the Cabinet Office rather than staff employed by parliament. Its reports will be given to the Prime Minister who will decide what information should be given to parliament.

Press notice, 10 Downing Street, 14.12.94; Guardian, 15.12.94.