§ Mr. WinnickTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make arrangements for hon. Members other than members of the Home Affairs Committee to meet the director of the Security Service.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeIt is open to the director general of the Security Service to make such arrangements for meetings on an informal and private basis as she may wish. Hon. Members will however understand the Government's position on accountability of the service as set out in my letter of 13 November 1992 to the Chairman of the Home Affairs Committee.
§ Mr. WinnickTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will conduct a study of the way in which parliamentary accountability exists for their security services in other EC countries.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeI am aware that other countries have approached the issue of the accountability of their security services in a different way from that reflected for the United Kingdom in the Security Service Act 1989. However, given the different constitutional, legal and administrative systems in place in other countries I do not consider that a study of the kind proposed would be of any particular value.
§ Mr. WinnickTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the civil service grade of the director of the Security Service.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe post of director general of the Security Service is the equivalent of that of a grade 1A in the civil service.