Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what provisions there are for oversight of the activities of the Security Service in the devolved assemblies of the UK.

The intelligence agencies’ work is carried out in accordance with a strict legal and policy framework that ensures their activities are authorised, necessary and proportionate, and provides for rigorous oversight. Intelligence activity is overseen by Secretaries of State, independent Interception of Communications and Intelligence Services Commissioners, the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament, and held to account by the independent Investigatory Powers Tribunal.

Since 2010, the Government has taken a range of measures to strengthen this oversight and increase transparency about security and intelligence matters where this does not damage national security. Oversight was significantly enhanced through the Justice and Security Act 2013, which expanded the remit and powers of the ISC. The Government has provided extra resources to the Commissioners who oversee the use of intrusive powers by the intelligence agencies, put elements of oversight on a more transparent and, where possible, statutory footing. In addition, the Interception of Communications Commissioner now produces six monthly rather than annual reports.

The Government is taking full account of David Anderson QC’s report and will give full consideration to his detailed recommendations, and those made by the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament, when considering if further imrpovements to the oversight system are needed.

The Security and Intelligence Agencies are subject to close budgetary scrutiny and challenging efficiency targets. Their accounts are audited by the National Audit Office. National Audit Office staff have access to relevant records for this purpose. The expenditure and resource allocations of the intelligence agencies are also scrutinised by the ISC as part of its remit.

National Security matters are a reserved issue ( this is called “excepted” in Northern Ireland) and have not been devolved. The actions of the Security Service within a devolved region are subject to the same high standards of oversight regardless of where they are operating geographically.