The Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) asked for the power to order - rather than request - the agencies to provide information, and said its official remit should be extended to cover not only the agencies' policies, administration and finances but also operations.
And the committee called on Prime Minister David Cameron to give up his right to appoint its members and chairman and have first sight of its reports.
Instead of reporting direct to Mr Cameron, the ISC should become a parliamentary committee, delivering its reports both to the Prime Minister and to Westminster, said chairman Sir Malcolm Rifkind.
The recommendations for reform of the ISC came as it published its annual report on its scrutiny of MI5, MI6 and the GCHQ eavesdropping centre during 2010/11 - including issues such as cyber-security, preparations for the London Olympics and the impact of the Government's austerity drive.
Sir Malcolm said the report highlighted some concerns, but the committee remained ''impressed by the dedication, professionalism, and commitment of those members of the intelligence community it has met''.
But he said a root-and-branch review of the committee's own role, structure, remit and powers found a need for reform, 16 years after its creation by former prime minister John Major.
''Public expectation in terms of transparency and openness has increased significantly during this time, and we must ensure that the committee now has the powers and remit that are necessary to provide reassurance to the public and to Parliament,'' said Sir Malcolm.
''It is essential that we are able to provide credible reassurance that, consistent with necessary secrecy and security, the agencies operate in the public interest.''
The committee's current arrangements are ''significantly out of date'', said the former foreign secretary, who said the proposed reforms would ''increase accountability, transparency and capacity for oversight of the intelligence community''.
The committee's recommendations include:
:: Instead of being appointed by the Prime Minister, the ISC should become a committee of Parliament, with necessary safeguards, reporting both to Parliament and the Prime Minister;
:: The remit of the committee should be amended to make clear it can take evidence from, and make recommendations on, the wider intelligence community, and not just MI5, MI6 and GCHQ;
:: The remit should be amended to make clear that the ISC is not limited to examining policy, administration and finances, but encompasses all the work of the agencies, including operations;
:: The committee should have the power to require and not just request information. The power to withhold information should be held by the Secretary of State, not the chief of an agency;
:: The committee should have greater research resources at its disposal.
Sir Malcolm said the changes could be introduced through the Government's forthcoming Green Paper on the protection of intelligence material in the courts.
taken from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8634302/Politicians-demand-extra-powers-to-hold-spies-to-account.html
''Public expectation in terms of transparency and openness has increased significantly during this time, and we must ensure that the committee now has the powers and remit that are necessary to provide reassurance to the public and to Parliament,'' said Sir Malcolm.
''It is essential that we are able to provide credible reassurance that, consistent with necessary secrecy and security, the agencies operate in the public interest.''
The committee's current arrangements are ''significantly out of date'', said the former foreign secretary, who said the proposed reforms would ''increase accountability, transparency and capacity for oversight of the intelligence community''.
The committee's recommendations include:
:: Instead of being appointed by the Prime Minister, the ISC should become a committee of Parliament, with necessary safeguards, reporting both to Parliament and the Prime Minister;
:: The remit of the committee should be amended to make clear it can take evidence from, and make recommendations on, the wider intelligence community, and not just MI5, MI6 and GCHQ;
:: The remit should be amended to make clear that the ISC is not limited to examining policy, administration and finances, but encompasses all the work of the agencies, including operations;
:: The committee should have the power to require and not just request information. The power to withhold information should be held by the Secretary of State, not the chief of an agency;
:: The committee should have greater research resources at its disposal.
Sir Malcolm said the changes could be introduced through the Government's forthcoming Green Paper on the protection of intelligence material in the courts.
taken from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8634302/Politicians-demand-extra-powers-to-hold-spies-to-account.html
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