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Select Committee · National Security Strategy (Joint Committee)

Espionage cases and the Official Secrets Acts

Status: Open Opened: 16 Oct 2025 9 recommendations 12 conclusions 1 report
Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
2nd Report - Espionage cases and the Official Secrets Acts HC 1414 3 Dec 2025 21 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

4 items
6 Conclusion 2nd Report - Espionage cases and the Of… Acknowledged

We found evidence of misaligned expectations which contributed to the decision to discontinue the case.

We found evidence of misaligned expectations which contributed to the decision to discontinue the case. In particular, the Deputy National Security Adviser (DNSA) said he was clear from the outset that he would only provide evidence in line with Government policy, whereas the Crown Prosecution Service told us it required …

Government response. The government acknowledges the Committee's finding of misaligned expectations concerning the DNSA's evidence and his capacity as a witness, and details the DNSA's understanding of his role while committing to develop new guidance to provide future clarity and improve coordination.
Cabinet Office
7 Conclusion 2nd Report - Espionage cases and the Of… Acknowledged

We did not find evidence of deliberate efforts to obstruct the prosecution.

We did not find evidence of deliberate efforts to obstruct the prosecution. The sequence of events nevertheless raises some substantial questions of whether the Government officials and counsel working on the DNSA’s witness statements could have found an alternative formulation which remained in line with the government’s overarching position at …

Government response. The government welcomed the committee's finding that there was no evidence of deliberate efforts to obstruct the prosecution and that the Attorney General acted with constitutional propriety, but did not address the committee's questions regarding alternative evidence formulations or the …
Cabinet Office
14 Conclusion 2nd Report - Espionage cases and the Of… Acknowledged

We have considered the circumstances of the meeting held on 1 September and note the...

We have considered the circumstances of the meeting held on 1 September and note the proximity of the Crown Prosecution Service decision to discontinue the case two days later. We did not find evidence of improper influence or deliberate efforts to obstruct the prosecution. We note in particular that First …

Government response. The government welcomed the committee's finding that there was no evidence of improper influence or deliberate efforts to obstruct the prosecution, and thanked them for the clarification regarding the September 1st meeting.
Cabinet Office
15 Conclusion 2nd Report - Espionage cases and the Of… Acknowledged

We are satisfied that the current Attorney General acted with constitutional propriety.

We are satisfied that the current Attorney General acted with constitutional propriety. We are also satisfied that there was nothing inappropriate about the processes for obtaining Law Officer consent to prosecute, or the subsequent process for informing the Attorney that the case was being discontinued. (Conclusion, Paragraph 115)

Government response. The government welcomed the committee's finding that there was no evidence of improper influence and expressed pleasure that the committee was satisfied the Attorney General and Law Officers acted with constitutional propriety.
Cabinet Office

Oral evidence sessions

2 sessions
Date Witnesses
29 Oct 2025 Rt Hon Darren Jones MP · Duchy of Lancaster, The Rt Hon. the Lord Hermer KC · Attorney General's Office View ↗
27 Oct 2025 Matthew Collins · Cabinet Office, Sir Chris Wormald · Department of Health and Social Care, Stephen Parkinson · Crown Prosecution Service, Tom Little KC (First Senior Treasury Counsel) View ↗

Correspondence

19 letters
DateDirectionTitle
1 Dec 2025 To cttee Letter from the Chair to Baroness Scotland (former AG) relating to the Espionag…
1 Dec 2025 To cttee Letter from the Chair to Sir Stephen Lovegrove (former NSA) relating to the Es…
1 Dec 2025 To cttee Letter from the Chair to Robert Courts KC (former Solicitor General) relating t…
1 Dec 2025 To cttee Letter from the Chair to Rt Hon Sir Michael Ellis KC (former AG), relating to …
1 Dec 2025 To cttee Letter from the Chair to Dominic Grieve KC (former AG) relating to the Espionag…
1 Dec 2025 To cttee Letter from the Chair to the Director of Public Prosecutions, Crown Prosecution…
1 Dec 2025 To cttee Letter from the Chair to the Attorney General relating to the Espionage cases a…
1 Dec 2025 To cttee Letter from the Chair to the Deputy National Security Adviser relating to the E…
28 Oct 2025 To cttee Letter from Lord Carlile of Berriew CBE KC relating to the dropped Chinese spy …
24 Oct 2025 To cttee Letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions, Crown Prosecution Service to t…
24 Oct 2025 To cttee Letter from the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, relating to the inquiry i…
24 Oct 2025 To cttee Letter from the Cabinet Secretary, relating to the inquiry into ‘Espionage case…
24 Oct 2025 To cttee Letter from the Attorney General, relating to the inquiry into ‘Espionage cases…
24 Oct 2025 To cttee Letter from the National Security Adviser and Deputy National Security Adviser,…
21 Oct 2025 From cttee Letter to Rt Hon Lord Hermer KC, Attorney General relating to the inquiry into …
21 Oct 2025 From cttee Letter to Rt Hon Darren Jones MP, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster relating…
17 Oct 2025 From cttee Letter to the National Security Adviser and Deputy National Security Adviser, r…
17 Oct 2025 From cttee Letter to the Cabinet Secretary, relating to espionage cases, dated 17 October …
16 Oct 2025 From cttee Letter to the Director of Public Prosecutions, Crown Prosecution Service from t…