We have a dedicated team of Inspectors that focuses on the UK’s intelligence community. Each of the agencies is inspected at least annually in relation to the range of powers that they make use of. This broadly means that our Inspectors are in each agency for a number of days each month. These inspections are overseen by the Deputy Investigatory Powers Commissioner, often in person.
The intelligence agencies provide regular briefings to our Inspectors and Judicial Commissioners on evolving methodology and complex technologies. These briefings also help us identify areas for closer scrutiny at our inspections.
In addition to the intelligence agencies we also inspect the Ministry of Defence, three times a year, on the powers that they make use of.