Oversight and law
MI6 is legally compliant
Everything we do in MI6 is legally compliant, authorised, closely monitored and approved by several bodies. They ensure we comply with UK law and do not intrude unnecessarily on the rights or privacy of the people we are interested in.
The legislation that governs our work
- The Intelligence Services Act 1994 – sets out what we do.
- The Investigatory Powers Act 2016 and the Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Act 2024 – explains the framework we stick to.
- The Human Rights Act 1998 – protects the right of citizens.
The bodies that have oversight of MI6
- The Investigatory Powers Commissioner’s Office (IPCO) – oversees the use of the powers we employ to conduct our operations.
- The Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) – a judicial body that offers a route for redress for anyone who believes they have been the victim of unlawful action in our use of covert investigative techniques.
- The Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) – provides oversight of our operations, policy, expenditure and administration to Parliament.
Support and membership
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