ELIZABETH II
c. 13
Intelligence Services Act 1994
1994 CHAPTER 13
An Act to make provision about the Secret Intelligence Service and
the Government Communications Headquarters, including
provision for the issue of warrants and authorisations enabling
certain actions to be taken and for the issue of such warrants and
authorisations to be kept under review; to make further
provision about warrants issued on applications by the Security
Service; to establish a procedure for the investigation of
complaints about the Secret Intelligence Service and the
Government Communications Headquarters; to make
provision for the establishment of an Intelligence and Security
Committee to scrutinise all three of those bodies; and for
connected purposes. [26th May 1994]
IT ENACTED by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with
the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and
Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the
authority of the same, as follows:—
B
E
The Secret Intelligence Service
1.—(l) There shall continue to be a Secret Intelligence Service (in this The Secret
Act referred to as "the Intelligence Service") under the authority of the Intelligence
Secretary of State; and, subject to subsection (2) below, its functions shall
be-
(a) to obtain and provide information relating to the actions or
intentions of persons outside the British Islands; and
(b) to perform other tasks relating to the actions or intentions of
such persons.
(2) The functions of the Intelligence Service shall be exercisable only—
(a) in the interests of national security, with particular reference to
the defence and foreign policies of Her Majesty's Government
in the United Kingdom; or