The main mission of SIS is to collect Britain's foreign intelligence. It provides the British government with vital intelligence … See more

Selection and training
SIS agents are often chosen based on merit and skill by authorities at elite universities and … See more

Centenary
The year 2009 was the centenary of the Secret Intelligence Service. An official history of the first forty years was commissioned to mark the occasion and was published in 2010. To further mark the centenary, the … See more

Governance
SIS is governed under the laws of the United Kingdom. The government sets the necessary laws, … See more

Foundation
The service derived from the Secret Service Bureau, which was founded on 1 October 1909. The Bureau was a joint initiative of the Admiralty and the War Office to control secret intelligence operations in the UK … See more

• Cambridge Five, a Cold War Soviet spy ring
• David Cornwell (known as John le Carré), author, former SIS officer
• Andrew Fulton, chairman of the Scottish Conservative Party See more

SIS headquarters
Since 1995, SIS headquarters has been at 85 Vauxhall Cross, along the Albert Embankment See more