Oversight

The work of the Security Service is subject to constant oversight. This is designed to ensure that we are operating within the law, that our activities are proportionate and necessary, that we have the correct operational priorities and that we are making the best use of our resources.

The work of the Service is overseen in three different ways:

• Ministerial oversight;
  
• Parliamentary oversight;
  
• Judicial oversight.

The oversight mechanisms stem from the following three key pieces of legislation (see also the Legal Framework page):

• the Security Service Act 1989 (new window) as amended in 1996, which places the Service under the authority of the Home Secretary and which sets out the functions of the Service and the responsibilities of the Director General;
  
• the Intelligence Services Act 1994 (new window) (ISA), which established the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC), a committee of Parliamentarians representing both Houses of Parliament. It is charged with the oversight of expenditure, administration and policy of the three security and intelligence agencies (ourselves, the Secret Intelligence Service and Government Communications Headquarters);
  
• the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (new window) (RIPA), which established a Commissioner for Interception, a Commissioner for the Intelligence Services and an Investigatory Powers Tribunal to examine complaints and hear proceedings under section 7 of the Human Rights Act 1998 (new window).

The Intelligence Services Act and the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act make provision for warrants to be issued by an appropriate Secretary of State to intercept communications, interfere with property and carry out intrusive surveillance, for instance by eavesdropping in a target's property.

RIPA also provides for the issue of internal authorisations for directed surveillance, for example following the movements of an individual under investigation, and the use of agents - referred to in the Act as "covert human intelligence sources".