Security Service Act 1989

JurisdictionUK Non-devolved
Citation1989 c. 5
(1) There shall continue to be a Security Service (in this Act referred to as “the Service”) under the authority of the Secretary of State.(2) The function of the Service shall be the protection of national security and, in particular, its protection against threats from espionage, terrorism and sabotage, from the activities of agents of foreign powers and from actions intended to overthrow or undermine parliamentary democracy by political, industrial or violent means.(3) It shall also be the function of the Service to safeguard the economic well-being of the United Kingdom against threats posed by the actions or intentions of persons outside the British Islands.(4) It shall also be the function of the Service to act in support of the activities of police forces F14, the F17National Crime Agency and other law enforcement agencies in the prevention and detection of serious crime.(5) (1) The operations of the Service shall continue to be under the control of a Director-General appointed by the Secretary of State.that there are arrangements for securing that no information is obtained by the Service except so far as necessary for the proper discharge of its functions or disclosed by it except so far as necessary for that purpose or for the purpose of F3the prevention or detection of serious crime F4or for the purpose of any criminal proceedings; andthat the Service does not take any action to further the interests of any political party F5; andthat there are arrangements, agreed with F15the F18Director General of the National Crime Agency, for co-ordinating the activities of the Service in pursuance of section 1(4) of this Act with the activities of police forces F16, the F19National Crime Agency and other law enforcement agencies(3) The arrangements mentioned in subsection (2) (a) above shall be such as to ensure that information in the possession of the Service is not disclosed for use in determining whether a person should be employed, or continue to be employed, by any person, or in any office or capacity, except in accordance with provisions in that behalf approved by the Secretary of State.the disclosure of records subject to and in accordance with the Public Records Act 1958; orthe disclosure, subject to and in accordance with arrangements approved by the Secretary of State, of information to the Comptroller and Auditor General for the purposes of his functions.(3B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(4) The Director-General shall make an annual report on the work of the Service to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State and may at any time report to either of them on any matter relating to its work.
  • Any expenses incurred by the Secretary of State under this Act shall be defrayed out of money provided by Parliament.
  • (1) This Act may be cited as the Security Service Act 1989.(2) This Act shall come into force on such day as the Secretary of State may by an order made by statutory instrument appoint, and different days may be appointed for different provisions or different purposes.(3) This Act extends to Northern Ireland.(4) Her Majesty may by Order in Council direct that any of the provisions of this Act specified in the Order shall extend, with such exceptions, adaptations and modifications as may be so specified, to the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands or any colony.Any person may complain to the Tribunal if he is aggrieved by anything which he believes the Service has done in relation to him or to any property of his; and, unless the Tribunal consider that the complaint is frivolous or vexatious, they shall investigate it in accordance with this Schedule.The Tribunal shall investigate whether the complainant has been the subject of inquiries by the Service.If the Tribunal find that the Service has made inquiries about the complainant but that those inquiries had ceased at the time when the complaint was made, they shall determine whether, at the time when the inquiries were instituted, the Service had reasonable grounds for deciding to institute inquiries about the complainant in the discharge of its functions.If the Tribunal find that inquiries by the Service about the complainant were continuing at the time when the complaint was made, they shall determine whether, at that time, the Service had reasonable grounds for deciding to continue inquiries about the complainant in the discharge of its functions.Where it appears to the Tribunal that the inquiries had been or were being made about the complainant on the ground of his membership of a category of persons regarded by the Service as requiring investigation in the discharge of its functions, the Tribunal shall regard the Service as having reasonable grounds for deciding to institute or continue inquiries about

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