Spy agencies up for scrutiny

LONDON - The roles of MI5, MI6, and GCHQ - the three security and intelligence agencies - are to be subjected to unprecedented…

LONDON - The roles of MI5, MI6, and GCHQ - the three security and intelligence agencies - are to be subjected to unprecedented root-and branch scrutiny, the British government announced yesterday.

The agencies will be asked to justify their activities and expenditure as well as their usefulness to other Whitehall departments. Their combined budget amounts to £713 million a year, according to official figures. - (Guardian Service)

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