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This is an important step and any proposals will not happen overnight

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This is an important step and any proposals will not happen overnight."Michael Howard, the Home Secretary, has said he may consider proposals for MI5 officers to mount intelligence operations to counter serious crime.Under the 1989 Security Service Act, MI5 is allowed to operate only in areas that affect national security, such as terrorism, subversion, espionage. In a written Parliamentary answer in May, the Home Secretary said the Government had no plans to amend that, but that if the service could play a "useful role" in supporting the police, he would examine proposals.He said: "If resources were available to the Security Service and if, within their statutory functions, a useful role were identified for them in support of the police ... There are a lot of 'if's involved."A security source said: "A review will look at whether there are areas of serious crime it might be appropriate for the service to become involved in. Chief constables are also keen to restrict MI5 expansion to one of supporting law-enforcement agencies rather than taking over their work.John Hoddinott, the president of the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Chief Constable of Hampshire police force, said: "Any involvement would depend on the Security Services finding a useful way of supporting the police in countering serious crime while staying within their statutory functions. The Home Office confirmed yesterday that she is to retire at the end of next year.Lawyers and civil rights campaigners are concerned because of MI5's lack of public accountability and its culture of secrecy.

MI5 denies it wants to move in on police work now that the task of countering Irish terrorism has diminished, but the Independent has learned that the Security Services are holding talks with chief constables. Discussions are unlikely to come to fruition before Stella Rimington, the MI5 director-general, retires, however. The police and MI5 are holding secret negotiations to discuss ways in which the Security Service can expand its role into fighting organised crime. Security chiefs plan to draw up proposals to present to the Home Secretary, concentrating on tackling organised crime, including drug trafficking. Everyone knows a lot of people who need this book badly, but don't all rush at once: it isn't about to be published here yet.

For now, you'll have to make do with the Devil. ! The Printer's Devil (ISBN 1 85242 062 6) is available from good bookshops at pounds 4.99. Meanwhile, from America, more beatific news: Simon & Schuster are soon to pour down on us sweetness and light in the form of AngelspeakTM: How to Talk with Your Angels. Praying, it seems, is passe: in this "seven- step method" you have to write to your own special angels to "actively ask for help, for understanding, for support". There's a "New Arrivals in Hell" obituary (Terry James, in fact very affectionate on John Osborne); also a curious political testimony by Richard Gott. But in this latest ("Legal") issue, there are also tough-talking and distinctly unslothful pieces from Ronan Bennett (on the burning of Long Kesh), Helena Kennedy, Marina Warner and others. It was then itself suppressed...") and devilish cred for each issue is established by a "deadly sin": the fifth issue had Nick Hornby on Envy; the sixth (Issue F) sidles up to the notion of Sloth.

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