Watching the Watchers Parliament and the Intelligence Services

by Defty, Andrew; Bochel, Hugh; Kirkpatrick, Jane

• ISBN13: 9781137270429
• ISBN10: 113727042X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2014-09-19
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

Summary

This study offers a new and detailed examination of parliamentary scrutiny of the British intelligence and security agencies. Through detailed analysis of parliamentary business, coupled with interviews with MPs, peers and senior officials, it examines the various mechanisms by which parliament seeks to scrutinise the secret state, and assesses the extent to which parliament has both the capacity and the will to provide effective oversight of intelligence and security policy and agencies. In addition to providing a detailed analysis of the impact of the Intelligence and Security Committee, this is the first book to examine the various other means by which a range of parliamentary bodies including select committees, all-party groups and individual parliamentarians have sought to scrutinise the intelligence agencies and the handling of intelligence by government.

Author Biography

Hugh Bochel, Professor of Public Policy, University of Lincoln, UK.
 

Andrew Defty, Senior Lecturer in Politics, University of Lincoln, UK.
 

Jane Kirkpatrick, Research Associate in Politics, University of Lincoln, UK.

Table of Contents

1. The Challenges of Legislative Oversight of Intelligence

2. 'The Government Does Not Comment…' Parliament and Intelligence

3. Managing Continuity and Change: Legislating for Intelligence Agency Accountability

4. 'A Unique and Special Committee': The Intelligence and Security Committee

5. Issues of Accountability and Access: The Select Committees and Intelligence

6. Other Indicators of Parliamentary Interest: Debates, Questions, Motions and Groups

7. 'No Longer Scared to Ask': Parliamentarians and the Intelligence Services

8. New Possibilities: Legislative Oversight of Intelligence Beyond Westminster

9. Conclusions: Parliament and the Future of Intelligence Oversight