Security Service Act 1989
Also known as: 1989 c. 5 · 1989 c5
- 1The act was passed by the United Kingdom Parliament in 1989.
- 2It provided the first statutory basis for the existence of MI5.
- 3The agency had been operating in secrecy since 1909 prior to this legislation.
- 4The act officially ended the government's policy of denying the agency's existence.
- 5The text of the act begins with the phrase There shall continue to be a Security Service.
The Security Service Act 1989 is an act of the United Kingdom Parliament.
Connections1
statutory foundation for agency operations
This legislation provided the first formal legal basis for the existence and functions of MI5, placing it under parliamentary oversight.
The Security Service Act 1989 is a landmark piece of legislation passed by the United Kingdom Parliament. It provided the first formal statutory basis for the existence and operations of the Security Service, commonly known as MI5, which had been active since 1909.
Wikimedia contributors: Security Service Act 1989 Before this act was passed, successive governments had maintained a policy of denying the existence of the agency. By establishing a legal framework, the act brought the service into the public sphere of accountability, beginning with the definitive statement that there shall continue to be a Security Service to protect the nation.