Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) - Terms of Reference
The Committee is charged with the following responsibilities:
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under the broad supervisory responsibility of the Permanent
Secretaries' Committee on the Intelligence Services, to give
direction to, and to keep under review, the organisation and working of
British intelligence activity as a whole at home and overseas in order to
ensure efficiency, economy and prompt adaptation to changing
requirements;
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to submit, at agreed intervals, for approval by Ministers, statements of
the requirements and priorities for intelligence gathering and other
tasks to be conducted by the intelligence Agencies;
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to co-ordinate, as necessary, interdepartmental plans for activity;
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to monitor and give early warning of the development of direct or
indirect foreign threats to British interests, whether political,
military or economic;
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on the basis of available information, to assess events and situations
relating to external affairs, defence, terrorism, major international
criminal activity, scientific, technical and international economic
matters;
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to keep under review threats to security at home and overseas and to deal
with such security problems as may be referred to it;
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to maintain and supervise liaison with Commonwealth and foreign
intelligence organisations as appropriate, and to consider the extent to
which its product can be made available to them.
The Committee is to bring to the attention of Ministers and Departments, as
appropriate, assessments that appear to require operational, planning or
policy action. The Chairman is specifically charged with ensuring that the
Committee's monitoring and warning role is discharged effectively.
The Committee may constitute such permanent and temporary sub-committees
and working parties as may be required to fulfil its responsibilities.
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