A UK governmental agency responsible for dealing with matters of internal security and counter-intelligence overseas. Formed in 1912, the agency was officially named the Secret Intelligence Service in 1964, but the name MI6 remains in popular use. The headquarters of the SIS are in Vauxhall Cross, London. The Covert Action department of the SIS, headed by Alan Blunt, is in Liverpool Street, under cover of the Royal and General bank.