I take note of what the noble Lord says and we will certainly look at that. Even if one did not change the statute of the committee, many things could be done to strengthen its role. It can have a better public face. It could certainly report more often to...

I take note of what the noble Lord says and we will certainly look at that. Even if one did not change the statute of the committee, many things could be done to strengthen its role. It can have a better public face. It could certainly report more often to...

My Lords, I am very much an outsider on this matter compared with the previous speaker although for many years I have had professional relations with people engaged in these activities—indeed, since the early 1970s when I first met a rather determined and impressive young diplomat called Pauline Neville-Jones. I...

My Lords, I am very much an outsider on this matter compared with the previous speaker although for many years I have had professional relations with people engaged in these activities—indeed, since the early 1970s when I first met a rather determined and impressive young diplomat called Pauline Neville-Jones. I...

Forgive me; I did not realise we were in the gap. I take my place immediately.

Forgive me; I did not realise we were in the gap. I take my place immediately.

My Lords, I shall speak briefly in the gap if I may. I thank the noble Lord, Lord Foulkes, for the way in which he introduced this most interesting debate and for speaking for the committee. I reassure the noble Lord, Lord Wallace, that I remember our committee visit to...

My Lords, I shall speak briefly in the gap if I may. I thank the noble Lord, Lord Foulkes, for the way in which he introduced this most interesting debate and for speaking for the committee. I reassure the noble Lord, Lord Wallace, that I remember our committee visit to...

My Lords, this has been a fascinating debate. I had few expectations when I came to it, other than that there would not be a speakers list—so I have sympathy with the noble Lord. I come to this subject without the background which other noble Lords have, and I am...

My Lords, this has been a fascinating debate. I had few expectations when I came to it, other than that there would not be a speakers list—so I have sympathy with the noble Lord. I come to this subject without the background which other noble Lords have, and I am...

I will not comment on them going native. The Prime Minister is committed to considering further reform in the new Parliament. That is necessary, but we need to think this through carefully, because a number of issues come into play. I reiterate that the Government are committed to publishing as...

I will not comment on them going native. The Prime Minister is committed to considering further reform in the new Parliament. That is necessary, but we need to think this through carefully, because a number of issues come into play. I reiterate that the Government are committed to publishing as...

That the Grand Committee do report to the House that it has considered the Intelligence and Security Committee Annual Report for 2008–09 (Cm 7807).

That the Grand Committee do report to the House that it has considered the Intelligence and Security Committee Annual Report for 2008–09 (Cm 7807).

My Lords, this is the second opportunity I have had to report on the work of the committee to this House and to open the debate as the Lords member of the Intelligence and Security Committee. It is a welcome innovation that we now have debates on the report of...

My Lords, this is the second opportunity I have had to report on the work of the committee to this House and to open the debate as the Lords member of the Intelligence and Security Committee. It is a welcome innovation that we now have debates on the report of...

I am grateful to my noble friend for that question. There were a number of indications that led us to believe that there was a lack of awareness. There was one incident in particular, but I will not go into detail because it involves members of the Civil Service and...

I am grateful to my noble friend for that question. There were a number of indications that led us to believe that there was a lack of awareness. There was one incident in particular, but I will not go into detail because it involves members of the Civil Service and...

What I can say—I must choose my words carefully—is that certain officials in the Cabinet Office treated the staff of the committee as if they were their line managers. The line manager of all the staff of the committee is the chair of the committee. That misunderstanding had to be...

What I can say—I must choose my words carefully—is that certain officials in the Cabinet Office treated the staff of the committee as if they were their line managers. The line manager of all the staff of the committee is the chair of the committee. That misunderstanding had to be...

The degree to which questioning is robust depends on the information available to members of the committee. The provision of that information, certainly in our time, was greatly assisted by an investigator who worked for the committee. Since we had started along that road, I expected the strength of that...

The degree to which questioning is robust depends on the information available to members of the committee. The provision of that information, certainly in our time, was greatly assisted by an investigator who worked for the committee. Since we had started along that road, I expected the strength of that...

I am sorry to press my noble friend, but surely the argument over record-keeping which has surfaced in the national media might have been avoided if formal evidence had been taken from people lower down the ladder.

I am sorry to press my noble friend, but surely the argument over record-keeping which has surfaced in the national media might have been avoided if formal evidence had been taken from people lower down the ladder.

My Lords, this debate is always welcome; indeed I would say it is a necessary opportunity to acknowledge the important role of and work done by the intelligence and security agencies, the staff of which work tirelessly, day and night, often in pressing circumstances, to safeguard our way of life....

My Lords, this debate is always welcome; indeed I would say it is a necessary opportunity to acknowledge the important role of and work done by the intelligence and security agencies, the staff of which work tirelessly, day and night, often in pressing circumstances, to safeguard our way of life....

I am sorry to intervene like this. However, when we did some work on this some years ago we found that it was not necessary to introduce primary legislation. The ISC would simply slip into abeyance and a committee of Parliament would be established. It would simply take on the...

I am sorry to intervene like this. However, when we did some work on this some years ago we found that it was not necessary to introduce primary legislation. The ISC would simply slip into abeyance and a committee of Parliament would be established. It would simply take on the...

The police, the Financial Services Authority and others need to keep a very active watch on what goes on. I also note in the report important remarks on the growing problem of cyber attacks and on it not always being easy to tell whether they come from private or state-sponsored...

The police, the Financial Services Authority and others need to keep a very active watch on what goes on. I also note in the report important remarks on the growing problem of cyber attacks and on it not always being easy to tell whether they come from private or state-sponsored...

My Lords, I chime with the noble Lord, Lord King, in his view that the chairman of the committee should be in the Opposition, as happens on the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Commons. The chairman is invariably a prominent member of the Opposition. I will concentrate my...

My Lords, I chime with the noble Lord, Lord King, in his view that the chairman of the committee should be in the Opposition, as happens on the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Commons. The chairman is invariably a prominent member of the Opposition. I will concentrate my...

I thank my noble friend for that. He pre-empted exactly what I was about to say. Creating a committee of the whole House would avoid this obligation, but would have significant implications. A number of committee members with whom I have spoken were not in favour of this move.

I thank my noble friend for that. He pre-empted exactly what I was about to say. Creating a committee of the whole House would avoid this obligation, but would have significant implications. A number of committee members with whom I have spoken were not in favour of this move.

My Lords, perhaps I, too, may crave the indulgence of the Committee to make a short contribution in the gap. I was disappointed by the answer to my intervention on the noble Lord, Lord Foulkes, who suggested that it was not the responsibility of his committee to make any recommendations...

My Lords, perhaps I, too, may crave the indulgence of the Committee to make a short contribution in the gap. I was disappointed by the answer to my intervention on the noble Lord, Lord Foulkes, who suggested that it was not the responsibility of his committee to make any recommendations...

My Lords, my reply can be very brief for a number of reasons: first, because I spoke for rather longer in my opening speech than I had intended; and, secondly, because the Minister’s reply was expert and comprehensive and dealt with most of the points. This debate has indicated the...

My Lords, my reply can be very brief for a number of reasons: first, because I spoke for rather longer in my opening speech than I had intended; and, secondly, because the Minister’s reply was expert and comprehensive and dealt with most of the points. This debate has indicated the...

My Lords, if the noble Lord is right, I am not aware of the embargo on journalists. It is amazing quite how often leaks happen—that is probably because we do not chop people’s legs off enough when they do, but that is another issue—but I slightly share the noble Lord’s...

My Lords, if the noble Lord is right, I am not aware of the embargo on journalists. It is amazing quite how often leaks happen—that is probably because we do not chop people’s legs off enough when they do, but that is another issue—but I slightly share the noble Lord’s...