Mr. John Devitt:

Many parliaments have an oversight function in respect of their intelligence services. There is a committee on intelligence services in the United States Congress, for instance, and similar bodies in Westminster and in New Zealand. This committee could serve that function to some degree, with adequate safeguards implemented, as could GSOC. I see no reason that GSOC could not also undertake reviews and monitor any shortcomings in safeguards to prevent abuse in intelligence services.

I disagree with my colleagues' views on establishing a separate intelligence service. I have spoken with former MI5 and MI6 whistleblowers who have pointed to the risk of the expansion of the intelligence services beyond the protection of national security. As I mentioned, the police in the UK and other jurisdictions have a state security function. The intelligence function is inseparable from that state security function, but it should be restricted to a large degree to the prevention of terrorism and other direct threats to the physical safety of citizens.