Spy chiefs were rapped by furious MPs and peers today for missing key deadlines to provide evidence to Parliament.
The Intelligence and Security Committee, which oversees MI5, MI6 and GCHQ, lashed out at agency bosses for delays in responding to requests.
Publishing its latest 56-page annual report, it said: “The committee has been severely hampered over the past year by the failure of the UK intelligence community to meet standard deadlines as part of the ISC inquiry process.
“In the committee’s annual report 2019–2021, we attributed this to their reduced resources during the pandemic and their need to focus on immediate national security threats.
“However, this is no longer a credible explanation.
“This is a very serious issue, as it prevents the committee from effectively performing its statutory oversight role.”
MPs and peers pointed to a warning from the National Security Adviser who said the “intelligence community’s licence to operate is dependent on credible oversight”.
The committee, which is also responsible for checks and balances on agencies including Defence Intelligence, the Joint Intelligence Organisation, the National Security Secretariat and Homeland Security Group, added: “If the ISC’s oversight is being frustrated, then the ISC cannot provide any assurance to the public or Parliament that the intelligence agencies are acting appropriately, and therefore that they merit the licence to operate that Parliament has given them through their statutory powers.
“Despite numerous complaints, the situation has not improved and, if anything, has got worse.
“The committee has called on the heads of the seven organisations it oversees to account for these failures, and to provide assurances on a suitable way forward.”
The politicians also issued a warning to intelligence officials over giving newspaper interviews and posting on social media.
The director-general of GCHQ, the Government’s eavesdropping post in Cheltenham, Glos, gives regular speeches, while the boss of MI5, officially called the Security Service, gives an annual threat update.
The chief of MI6, the Secret Intelligence Services, posts to nearly 150,000 Twitter followers using the handle @ChiefMI6.
Yesterday’s ISC report said: “While the committee recognises the important role public outreach can play in attracting employees by opening up about the culture and working practices in such secret organisations, it must be undertaken in a strategic and considered manner.
“The committee is concerned that, if media engagement strategies go too far, they risk trivialising the important work of the agencies and diverting their focus from national security priorities.
“Social media is also known to be a battleground for covert hostile state action, so any enhanced media engagement should not undermine the agencies’ ability to act covertly and keep the UK safe.”
The committee also complained it had not held a meeting with a Prime Minister for eight years.
In its first 20 years it met annually with the PM.
But its last meeting was in 2014 when David Cameron was in Downing Street.
Since then, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak have held the keys to No10.
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