[keithpeter]

"...David Omand's "Securing the State"..."

I shall add that to the summer reading list. I'm still dubious about how much accountability there actually is. For instance, the quote below is from a (generally favourable) Amazon review of the book referenced

"The book is a bit weak in the realm of intelligence collection, but this is because this is a very sensitive area and Sir David was clearly trying to avoid stepping on toes."

We are good at 'sensitive areas' in the UK.

"...the mushrooming growth of myriad, largely redundant secret intelligence groups..."

I suspect we have some of those as well but as projects/units within the main agencies.