Member

It has been clear for many years that the legislation has not kept pace with the modern state threats that we face today. It was evident that the Official Secrets Act was no longer fit for purpose as early as 2015— 10 years ago—when Conservative Ministers tasked the Law Commission with reviewing this antiquated legislation. In 2020, the Law Commission and the Intelligence and Security Committee of this House were both clear that the legislation, drafted before the First World War, needed to be updated as a matter of urgency. It referred to espionage as