Secret Intelligence Service
From SR
Roles
The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS/MI6) is Britain's secret service, providing the British Government with a global covert capability to promote and defend the national security and economic well-being of the United Kingdom.
SIS operates world-wide to collect secret foreign intelligence in support of the British Government's policies and objectives.
Regional instability, terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and illegal narcotics are among the major challenges of the 21st century. SIS assists the government to meet these challenges.
SIS contributes to the larger inter-departmental national intelligence community, where it works closely with the other two British intelligence and security agencies, Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) and the Security Service.
SIS collects secret intelligence and mounts covert operations overseas. The Intelligence Services Act 1994 directs SIS to obtain and provide information relating to the acts and intentions of persons overseas.
- in the fields of national security with particular reference to the government's defence and foreign policies
- in the interests of the economic well-being of the UK
- in support of the prevention or detection of serious crime.
History
The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) was established in 1909 as the Foreign Section of the Secret Service Bureau. The Foreign Section's responsibility for overseas intelligence collection has been retained ever since by SIS under a variety of names and acronyms. This responsibility was placed on a statutory basis in the Intelligence Services Act 1994.
Reporting Hierarchy
SIS is headed by Sir John Scarlett, known as the Chief of SIS or 'C' (after the first Chief, Mansfield Cumming who signed himself 'C'). Sir John took up his post in August 2004. The Chief is the only serving member of the Service who is officially named in public. He is appointed by, and is accountable to, the Foreign Secretary.
SIS HQ has been at Vauxhall Cross since 1994.
The SIS, along with the Security Service and the Government Communications Headquarters report to the Joint Intelligence Committee
