Spying Report to be Published by UK Intelligence
Local Editor
The power of UK security agencies to access private communications will be examined in a Parliamentary report due to be published later.
The inquiry began in 2013, after leaks by former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden about intelligence gathering by US and UK agencies.
Snowden, who now lives in Russia after fleeing the US, gave the media details of extensive internet and phone surveillance.
Moreover, Snowden's revelations raised concerns in some quarters that spies had accrued too much power in secret.
"In recent months, the intelligence agencies and politicians have fought back against this notion - pointing to the threat of international terrorism linked to Iraq and Syria as a reason for why they need access to communications and to data," BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera said.
The committee's report was expected to look at whether current legislation provided the necessary powers, what the privacy implications were and whether there was sufficient oversight and accountability.
Furthermore, it heard evidence in public and in secret, and among those to appear publicly were: the heads of intelligence agencies MI5, MI6 and GCHQ, Home Secretary Theresa May, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond.
Also due to be published later was the annual report from the judge who oversaw the interception of communications by spies and the police.
It would provide details on the number of times this had occurred, and any errors or misuse.
It would provide details on the number of times this had occurred, and any errors or misuse.
Nigel Inkster, from the International Institute for Strategic Studies, indicated that the security and intelligence agencies had "pretty adequate" powers of surveillance which should remain.
He added: "What we're talking about here is the bulk collection of civilian telecommunications, something which has actually been going on for decades without obvious detriment to civil liberties or human rights, in order for the intelligence agencies to identify very narrow and specific sets of information about threats."
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
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