Secret history
John Sawers, head of MI6, defended the organisation by saying ‘secrecy is not a dirty word’.
Secret history
John Sawers, head of MI6, defended the organisation by saying ‘secrecy is not a dirty word’. Here are a few things which the organisation does not attempt to keep secret:
— MI6 still does not officially exist. It was once known by that name but is now called the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) in government circles.
— There were once 17 ‘MIs’. The original MI6 dealt with legal and financial affairs.
It spent much of the first world war housed in a single flat in Whitehall Court.
— MI6 and the other secret services grew out of the Secret Service Bureau set up in 1909 and which was often abbreviated ‘SS’ on official documents.
— MI6 does not publish accounts, but the intelligence services cost a total of £1.36 billion in 2005/06 — the latest year for which figures are on the SIS website
Source: SIS website
Armed forces
Britain and France have signed a defence treaty promising greater collaboration. How do our forces measure up?
Britain France
195,000 Military personnel 225,000
1,891 Aircraft 1,023
2 Aircraft carriers 1
6 Destroyers 13
11 Submarines 10
17 Frigates 10
Source: MOD/globalfirepower.com
High prices
Street prices of drugs, per unit:
LSD (1 tab) £5.64
Heroin (1 hit, 0.1g) £5.57
Crack (1 hit, 0.75g) £5.00
Cocaine (1 line, 0.1g) £4.27
Draught bitter (1 pint) £2.96
Draught lager (1 pint) £2.59
Cannabis, skunk (1/80th oz) £2.33
Cannabis, hash (1/80th oz) £1.78
Amphetamine (0.1g) £1.31
Sources: IDMU, DrugScope and ONS
Fire and rescue
The Fire Service strike has drawn attention to what firemen do.
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