Search results
Introduction. There are a number of pieces of legislation in the United Kingdom which relate to official secrecy, the security and intelligence services, and the disclosure of information “in the public interest”. These include: The Official Secrets Acts 1911, 1920, 1939 and 1989. Public Records Acts 1958 and1967.
- 761KB
- 48
Official Secrets Act 1989 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 23 September 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ...
- Official Secrets Act 1911
- Official Secrets Act 1989
- Other Legislation Concerning The Disclosure of Official Information
- The Security Services
The Official Secrets Act 1911 was passed in response to the growing threat of international espionage. When orginally enacted, section 1 of the Official Secrets Act 1911 established offences related to spying, while section 2 made it an offence for a Crown Servant to disclose any official information without lawful authority. The Official Secrets A...
The Official Secrets Act 1989 replaced the “catch-all” section 2 from the Official Secrets Act 1911, under which it was a criminal offence to disclose any official information without lawful authority. The 1989 Act creates offences connected with the unauthorised disclosure of information in six specified categories by Government employees. These a...
Other legislation relating to the disclosure of information includes the Public Records Acts, which provide a statutory right of access to government records after a twenty-year closure period. However, these Acts also allow for records to be retained “for administrative purposes or…for any other special reason”. Risk to national security is regard...
The security services themselves – that is, the Security Service (MI5); the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) and the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) – were placed under statutory control by the Security Service Act 1989 and the Intelligence and Security Act 1994.
This Act may be cited as the Official Secrets Act 1989. This Act and the Official Secrets Acts 1911 to 1939 may be cited together as the Official Secrets Acts 1911 to 1989. Schedule 1 to this Act shall have effect for making amendments consequential on the provisions of this Act. The enactments and Order mentioned in Schedule 2 to this Act are ...
1.1 The main legislation on official secrecy. In short, the principle Acts relating to official secrecy, control of the security services and disclosure of information ‘in the public interest’ are: Official Secrets Act 1889. Official Secrets Act 1911. Security Service Act 1989. Intelligence Services Act 1994.
OS - SECRECY OATH - POE, JOHN LAWRENCE Created Date: 20150624153030Z ...
People also ask
What is the Official Secrets Act?
What is the Official Secrets Act 1911-1989?
What did the Official Secrets Act 1911 say about spying?
How many times has the Official Secrets Act been amended?
Does the Official Secrets Act 1989 contain a public interest defence?
What did the Official Secrets Act 1939 do?
(1)This Act shall apply to all acts which are offences-under this Act when committed in any part of His Majesty's dominions, or when committed by British officers or subjects elsewhere. (2)An offence under this Act, if alleged to have been committed out of the United Kingdom, may be inquired of, heard, and determined, in any competent British court
