Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) protocols and (b) memoranda of understanding are in place between (i) Police Scotland and (ii) the security services.

The Security Service Act of 1989 places the Security Service under the authority of a Secretary of State, in practice the Home Secretary, who is accountable to Parliament for their work. This Act sets the overarching working protocol between the Security Service and the Home Secretary.

To support the delivery of the Act, there are more detailed agreements that set out delivery of the Home Secretary’s oversight responsibilities, including a framework agreement formerly referred to as the Protocols.

Police Scotland are a devolved competence and there is no formal relationship between the Home Office and Police Scotland. The Home Office and Police Scotland have a Memorandum of Understanding in relation to three areas: data sharing, Police and Public Protection Technology and the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP). In relation to ESMCP and in recognition of section 4 of the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012, the Memorandum of Understanding is signed by the Scottish Police Authority, agreeing the terms under which the Home Secretary will provide the relevant mobile communications network services to the Authority for the purpose of its maintenance of Police Scotland.