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UK: Report of the Intelligence Services Commissioner for 2013

26 July 2014

"The total number of warrants and authorisations approved across the intelligence services and the MOD in 2013 was 1887."

This is said to cover warrants issued to: MI5, MI6 (SIS), GCHQ and the Ministry of Defence under RIPA 2000 and Intelligence Services Act 1994 (ISA) - under the former the use of CHIS (Covert Human Information Sources) are included. And in addition the report says:

"The total number of cases where the Consolidate Guidance was applied during 2013 was 418. It is important to understand what this means. It means that there were 418 cases where consideration had to be given as to whether there was a serious risk of an individual being subject to unacceptable conduct either because they were in the detention of a liaison service, or if intelligence was supplied to solicit detention and they were then detained. This does not show the number of individuals subject to unacceptable conduct; only that proper consideration was being given to that risk in this number of cases." [emphasis added]

After numerous complaints of UK agents being present or knowing of torture, inhuman or degrading treatment of terrorist suspects around the world the Government published in 2010 the following Guidelines: Consolidated Guidance to Intelligence Officers and Service Personnel on the Detention and Interviewing of Detainees Overseas, and on the Passing and Receipt of Intelligence Relating to Detainees (pdf) and according to the Commissioner's report this covers:

• Cases where a detainee is interviewed by UK personnel whilst under the custody of a third party
• Cases where information is sought by HMG from a detainee in the custody of a third party
• Cases where information is passed from HMG to a liaison service in relation to a detainee held by a third party
• Cases where unsolicited intelligence related to a detainee is received from the third party
• Soliciting the detention of an individual by a third party

And the Commissioner cites a reminder of GCHQ's function:

"To monitor or interfere with electromagnetic, acoustic and other emissions and any equipment producing such emissions and to obtain and provide information derived from or related to such emissions or equipment and from encrypted material, but only in the interests of national security, with particular reference to the United Kingdom Governmentfs defence and foreign policies, or in the interests of the UKfs economic well.being in relation to the actions or intentions of persons outside the British Islands, or in support of the prevention or detection of serious crime" [emphasis added]

See: Report of the Intelligence Services Commissioner for 2013 (pdf)