Hon Ken McCallum

Hon Ken McCallum Director General  of the Security Service (MI5)

Personally responsible for:

• the operations and efficiency of MI5;
• making an annual report on our work to the Home Secretary and the Prime Minister;
• ensuring that we are politically impartial; and
• ensuring that we obtain and disclose information only in accordance with our statutory responsibilities.

In discharging these responsibilities, the Director General is assisted by internal mechanisms designed to ensure that our work abides by the principles that:

• the rule of law is paramount; and
• methods of investigation must be proportionate to the threat and their use properly authorised.

MI5 HQ London

MI5’s mission is to keep the country safe. For more than a century we have worked to protect our people from danger whether it be from terrorism or damaging espionage by hostile states. MI5 currently employs around 4,000 people. Around 40% of staff are women, just over half are under 40 years old, 8% are from black or ethnic minority backgrounds and 3% have a disability. At any time, several hundred staff may work in MI5 on secondment or attachment from other government departments and agencies.

Staff roles cover a number of areas including investigations, translation, data analysis, technology, surveillance, communications, information management, protective security, administration, building services and catering. MI5’s headquarters are at Thames House, a Grade II listed building situated only a few hundred yards from the Houses of Parliament in London. We also have several regional offices and headquarters in Northern Ireland.