Government contractor arrested by counter-terror police over Official Secrets Act

65-year-old woman arrested by officers 'acting upon intelligence received'

Officers carrying out search at address in north London as part of investigation (PA)

A woman who was contracted to carry out work for a Government department has been arrested by Scotland Yard's counter-terrorism command on suspicion of an offence under the Official Secrets Act.

The Metropolitan Police said the 65-year-old woman was arrested at an address in north London by officers "acting upon intelligence received."

She was arrested on suspicion of an offence contrary to section 1 of the Official Secret Act 1911, and was detained under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.

The woman is currently in custody at a south London police station.

Officers are also carrying out a search at an address in north London as part of the investigation.

Scotland Yard has not identified the government department the woman was contracted to work for and no further details of the suspected offence were given.

Arrests under the 1911 Act, which was drawn up prior to the First World War, are rare.

Section 1 is headed "penalties for spying" and covers activities that amount to an offence if they are carried out "for any purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the State".