Source · Select Committees · National Security Strategy (Joint Committee)
2nd Report - Espionage cases and the Official Secrets Acts
National Security Strategy (Joint Committee)
HC 1414
Published 3 December 2025
Conclusions (1)
10
Conclusion
Rejected
Some processes were excessively protracted, with extensive to and fro. From the outside some aspects look shambolic. The process for securing the DNSA’s second witness statement took nearly eight months, for example. The reason for this delay remains obscure to us. (Conclusion, Paragraph 76)
Government Response Summary
The government agreed timely evidence acquisition is a priority but rejected the committee's conclusion of an eight-month delay in securing the DNSA's second witness statement. They provided a detailed timeline and explanation of the complex review process, arguing that work was ongoing throughout.