Who is watching Britain’s spies?

Parliament’s intelligence watchdog is muzzled, neutered and sick.The Intelligence and Security committee, which oversees the UK intelligence community – MI5, MI6, GCHQ etc – released its annual report this week, and it makes for a sad read. The committee says it is ‘concerned’, ‘perplexed’ and ‘disappointed’ with the government. At one point it is ‘deeply disappointed and concerned.’ The government is deliberately obstructing the committee’s work, it says.

The ISC’s most serious complaint is that the government is refusing to let them oversee the whole scope of the Britain’s intelligence community. Intelligence and security activities are increasingly devolved to units within Whitehall departments. They might involve transport security or telecoms security, rather than activities more often associated with MI5 or MI6. The ISC, as the only committee with the necessary clearances, thinks its remit should cover these units. It was therefore ‘taken aback’ – committee speak for apoplectic – to be denied oversight of the Investment Security Unit, which draws on secret intelligence to advise on national security risks to the UK from foreign investments or acquisitions.