Government criticised for delay in setting up security committee
By Nick Eardley
BBC political correspondent
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The Intelligence and Security Committee is made up of cross-party MPs
The government has been accused of avoiding scrutiny by not establishing a key parliamentary committee.
The Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) has not sat since before December's election - its longest break since it was established in 1994.
It has led to concerns about a lack of oversight over important decisions on intelligence matters.
The committee is also due to publish a report into alleged Russian interference in British democracy.
It produced the report last October, but it didn't receive sign off from No 10 before the election.
Its release was then delayed in November until after the public went to the polls - but the report cannot be published until the committee reconvenes.
The ISC is one of Parliament's most important committees, overseeing the seven agencies and departments which make up the UK intelligence community.
It sets its own agenda and can call ministers, intelligence chiefs and others to give evidence. It also has access to classified information, subject to the Official Secrets Act.
Because of the sensitive nature of many of its inquiries, its evidence sessions are held in private.
Lack of clarity
Ultimately, members are appointed by the prime minister. But political parties are asked to nominate MPs - based on their relative size in the Commons - and there are also members from the Lords.
I understand opposition parties confirmed their nominations months ago. Sources said there had been enough time for relevant vetting to be carried out for new members.
But there is a lack of clarity on the Conservative candidates, with Tory MPs kept in the dark about whether a final decision has even been made six months after the election.
That's led to frustration among the other parties in Westminster - with Labour, the SNP and the Liberal Democrats all calling for the committee to be reconvened urgently.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-53111507