Intelligence services

This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on the intelligence services. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.

Standard Notes

DateDescription
07.01.2013The Terrorism Act 2000 Proscribed Organisations
This note describes the recent history and present status of "proscribed organisations" under anti-terrorism legislation (particularly the Terrorism Act 2000).
02.07.2012The draft Communications Data Bill
This short note highlights some of the immediate responses to the Government's draft Communications Data Bill, which was published on 14 June 2012.
17.05.2012Interception of communications
This Note looks at past and present laws regarding the interception of communications and the role of the Interception of Communications Commissioner in overseeing the present regime.
18.11.2011The Intelligence and Security Committee:
This paper is essentially a short selective bibliography of resources on the Intelligence and Security Committee.
22.12.2010Security-related incidents, paramilitary-style attacks, and deaths due to the security situation in Northern Ireland
Security-related incidents, paramilitary-style attacks, and deaths due to the security situation in Northern Ireland. By Ross Young. SN/SG/2229.

Research Papers

DateDescription
26.02.2013Justice and Security Bill [HL] Committee Stage Report
This paper has been produced following the Committee Stage of the Justice and Security Bill in the House of Commons, which took place between 29 January and 7 February 2013. The Bill, which has proved contentious, was originally introduced in the House of Lords on 28 May 2012. It is aimed at modernising and strengthening the oversight of the intelligence and security services and would allow the civil courts to use 'closed material procedures' to hear sensitive evidence in cases that raised national security concerns. It would also preclude the courts from ordering the disclosure of sensitive information in certain circumstances. The Bill was revised significantly in the Lords and was introduced in the House of Commons on 28 November 2012. Second Reading took place on 18 December 2012. A number of noteworthy and controversial amendments were made to the Bill in Committee.
14.12.2012Justice and Security Bill
This paper has been prepared for the Second Reading of the Justice and Security Bill in the House of Commons, which is due to take place on 18 December 2012. The Bill, which has proved contentious, was originally introduced in the House of Lords on 28 May 2012. It is aimed at modernising and strengthening the oversight of the intelligence and security services and would allow the civil courts to use closed material procedures to hear sensitive evidence in cases that raised national security concerns. It would also preclude the courts from ordering the disclosure of sensitive information in certain circumstances. The Bill was revised significantly in the Lords and was introduced in the House of Commons on 28 November 2012.
08.12.2006The Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Bill Bill 10 of 2006-07
15.01.2004Civil Contingencies Bill (Bill 14 2003/04)
Civil Contingencies Bill. (Bill 14 2003/04). House of Commons Library Research Paper 04/07.
19.11.2001Anti-Terrorism Crime and Security Bill, Parts III and XI:Disclosure and retention of information (Bill 49 of 2001-02)
Anti-Terrorism Crime and Security Bill, Parts III and XI:Disclosure and retention of information (Bill 49 of 2001/02). House of Commons Library Research Paper 01/98.

Select Committee Reports

DateDescription
08.07.2009The Omagh bombing: access to intelligence.
Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee report [Commons]

Early Day Motions

DateDescription
25.02.2010INVESTIGATORY POWERS (S.I., 2010, No. 123)
That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Covert Human Intelligence Sources: Matters Subject to Legal Privilege) Order ...
24.02.2010INQUIRY INTO EXTRAORDINARY RENDITION
That this House recognises the ruling by the Court of Appeal to publish seven previously omitted paragraphs from the judgment of 21 August 2008 relating to the case of Mr Binyam Mohamed; ...
15.10.2008DISCLOSURE OF OMAGH BOMB INTELLIGENCE MATERIAL
That this House notes with extreme concern the disclosure by the BBC Panorama programme on 14th September that GCHQ possesses recordings of intercept intelligence relating to the 1998 ...
11.06.2008UNAUTHORISED DISCLOSURE OF SECURITY DOCUMENTS
That this House notes the loss of secret papers by a member of the security and intelligence services on a southbound train from Waterloo on 10th June 2008; considers this raises serious ...
14.01.2008DEREK PASQUILL AND THE OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT 1989
That this House notes the collapse of the case against Derek Pasquill; believes that the law about official secrets should be based on preventing damage to the public interest rather ...

Lords Library Notes

DateDescription
14.06.2012Justice and Security Bill [HL] (HL Bill 27 of 2012-13)
This Library Note provides background reading in advance of the second reading in the House of Lords of the Justice and Security Bill on 19 June 2012.

Glossary

  • Research Papers (RP) - briefings produced by the House of Commons Library on Bills, topical issues and regular statistics
  • Standard Notes (SN) - shorter, topical briefings from the Commons Library
  • Early Day Motions (EDMs) - formal motions submitted by MPs in the House of Commons
  • POST Notes - short briefing notes produced by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology
  • Lords Library Notes (LLN) - an occasional series of papers compiled by the House of Lords Library