Source · Select Committees · Foreign Affairs Committee
Recommendation 12
12
Rejected
We recommend that the Chairs of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Intelligence and Security Committee and...
Recommendation
We recommend that the Chairs of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Intelligence and Security Committee and Science and Technology Committees are also provided with private briefings on the activities of the ISU on Privy Council terms, to ensure that Government decisions are scrutinised from all angles relevant to the UK’s interests. These briefings should be held bi-annually as a minimum. (Paragraph 66) Sovereignty for sale: the FCDO’s role in protecting strategic British assets 31
Government response summary AI-generated
The government believes the BEIS Select Committee is the primary body for ISU oversight and will ensure other relevant committees are appropriately informed, but does not accept the recommendation for specific private bi-annual briefings for the named committee chairs.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government · verbatim extract
Rejected
The Government believes it is right that the BEIS Select Committee should oversee the work of the ISU in its operation of the NSI Act. This is the Parliamentary Committee with responsibility for overseeing the work of BEIS, where the ISU is housed. The Government has committed to ensuring the BEIS Select Committee has access to the information it needs to undertake such scrutiny, and a Memorandum of Understanding underpinning these arrangements will be published in due course. The Government will continue to work with the Foreign Affairs Committee and other relevant Parliamentary committees to ensure that they are appropriately informed of the NSI system and the work of the ISU. This includes scrutiny by the Science and Technology Select Committee, where the work of the Unit falls within the specific remit of that Committee. The Government also welcomes the Intelligence and Security Committee’s continued scrutiny of the work of the intelligence community, including where that supports the work of the ISU.
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